Dare to Dream
by Nattou
Summary: She never thought she would fall for a students father...but that was before she met Troy Bolton. Why is it that the things you desire the most are the things you shouldnt have? TxG Rating bumped up to M just to be on the safe side.
1. Trailer

**_"_****_Dare to Dream"_**

**_"Dare to Dream"_**** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**---HSM---**

**Every now and then you meet someone who touches your heart…**

"My name's Violet. I'm five and a half, and I really wish I had a mommy."

**Someone who unintentionally introduces you to your perfect match…**

"Troy Bolton," he said and extended his hand.

"Gabriella Montez."

"So you're the Miss Montez, Vi has told me so much about."

"Unless she knows any other Miss Montez's I suppose I am," she said as another blush heated her cheeks.

**And you find yourself in places you'd never thought you'd be…**

Troy gently lowered her onto the bed where he pulled the covers up till they covered her bare arms. The brown locks that he'd longed to run his fingers through fanned out over the white pillow, and he found himself smiling. Her even breaths were the only sound that filled the room, and before he could stop himself, Troy leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks for taking care of my angel tonight," he whispered.

**Doing the things you know you shouldn't do…**

Gabriella's heart pounded in her chest as the air seemed to disappear from the room. His eyes bore into hers as the gap between them grew smaller and smaller. She couldn't breathe. Her brain couldn't focus on anything but the fact that his lips were moving closer…but not close enough.

"Daddy…I'm thirsty." The sleepy voice danced down the hallway and into the living room, instantly breaking the trance they had been in.

**And suddenly the very thing that brought you together might tear you apart…**

Her eyes filled with tears as she realized what he was about to say.

"Troy…" she pleaded, voice breaking as the first tear slipped.

"I want to take it slow Ella…for Violet. We've skipped steps that shouldn't be skipped. She'll get attached and if one day things turn sour her heart will break. I don't want to put her through that because we didn't take the time to get to know each other. Its not you, ok? Its not."

**A story about dreams, about love…but most of all; a story about facing your fears and doing what your heart knows is right…**

"**Dare to Dream" **

**Coming soon**

**Please Review :) **


	2. City of Angels

**Dare to Dream**

**AN: **So here's the first chapter! A huge thanks goes out to my partner in crime; **Mya**, better known as **minixoxmya. **Without her this story would simply be just another abandoned story idea. Thanks Sweets! xxx

Also thanks to my new beta: **hugsxkisses! **

******This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved, and _High School Musical 3, _copyright 2008 by Walt Disney Enterprices. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**Chapter 1: City of Angels **

Twenty-eight year old Gabriella Montez sighed in annoyance as the moving company once again apologized over the phone. All of her furniture had been scheduled to arrive earlier that day, but only a few of her items had actually showed up. Among the missing pieces was her bellowed book cases and her much needed desk.

"I know you're sorry, but do you have _any _idea where my things are?" she asked exasperated. "I didn't pay this much money only to have to buy myself new furniture as well."

"_We truly are sorry, Miss Montez, and we are trying to find out where this shipment took a wrong turn. If we don't find your things, you will of course get compensation from us so that you can replace the items." _

Gabriella groaned and scratched the top of her head before letting her fingers run through her hair.

"Thanks."

"_It's the least we can do, Miss. I will contact you as soon as I know anything, does that sound ok?"_

"Yes, thank you, sir."

"_You're welcome. Have a nice evening."_

"You too. Goodbye."

With that she snapped her phone shut and glanced around the almost empty Los Angeles apartment.

The late afternoon sunshine bounced off the whitewashed walls of the living room and she squinted her eyes against the bright light. Aside from a creamy white couch, her TV and a coffee table, the room held no other furniture, but it _was_ all hers.

Carefully moving a box of pictures, she looked out of the open window and down at the busy street below her. A warm breeze brushed against her face, and a lazy smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. The contrast between the sun-kissed streets below, and the chilly Michigan city she had left behind could not be any bigger, and as she watched people hurrying along on the sidewalk, she could not help but wonder if she had made the right choice.

The shrill ringing of her phone made her jump and she quickly flipped it open, ready to greet whoever was on the other end.

"Hello, Gabriella speaking."

"_Miss Gabriella Montez?" _

"Yes, that's me."

"_We are from _Furniture vision. _We're here to deliver your bed."_

"Oh! Yes! I'll be right down!" she exclaimed, grabbing her keys before stepping into her shoes.

"_Ok, we are right outside the main entrance."_

"I'll be down in two seconds."

Gabriella quickly hung up and shoved her phone into her pocket. At least she'd have a proper bed to sleep in tonight.

---HSM---

An hour later, Gabriella thanked the delivery guys and shut her front door. The new bed had successfully been placed in her bedroom along with two bedside tables, and all she had to do now was make her bed with the new sheets she had bought.

With a smile adorning her face she walked back into her bedroom and turned on the radio that had been placed on the chest of drawers by the door. Seconds later music filled the room and as she busied herself with sheets, blankets and throw pillows she gently sang along to the familiar tunes.

She had a week to organize her apartment before she started in her new job. The fact that she had gotten the teaching position she had wanted so much still felt slightly surreal to her. She had a feeling that it wouldn't really sink in till she walked down the hallways of _Santa Monica Montessori. _

After finishing her degree in Classical Ballet, with a Latin American minor, it quickly became clear that dance alone would not bring in sufficient money to live a comfortable life, and so she had turned her attention towards her second passion; Children.

The prospect of teaching had always had an appeal to her, and at age twenty-five she had received her _Elementary Teacher Certificate _from _Michigan University. _A few months into her teaching career she had taken a course in the Montessori Method, and quickly realized that that was the route she wanted to take.

Hours upon hours had then been spent online looking for, and applying to numerous schools across the country. She had been prepared to be let down, as there were rarely openings in the Montessori schools, but this had not kept her from hoping. Four of the schools she had applied to had sent her positive letters back, asking for either a face to face interview, or one using web-cameras. With a slight smile, Gabriella remembered how nervous she had been the day she had gotten ready for her Santa Monica internet interview. All day she had been restless and when the time came to actually talk to the principal she had been so nervous she could hardly move a muscle.

The principal had picked up on her nerves and somehow managed to coax the real Gabriella out of her little shell.

That night she had gone to bed feeling certain that the interview had gone badly, and so it had been a great surprise when the letter from Santa Monica had arrived by mail only days before her contract expired. With excitement flowing through her veins she had called the school to accept the position they had offered, before packing up her things and heading for California and the city of angels.

A place where the sun seemed to shine a little brighter and opportunities were hidden around every street corner.

For once it seemed like life had handed her a good deck of cards. And as she sat down on her newly made bed, she just hoped she would be able to play them well.

-----HSM-----

"Daddy…"

Troy Bolton groaned silently as the sweet voice of his daughter entered his dream. Everything around them seemed eerie quiet and he highly doubted it was time to get up yet.

"Daddy...wake up Daddy."

"Violet…what time is it?" he asked, voice hoarse from sleep.

"I don't know," the five year old answered as she climbed onto the bed and lay down next to him.

Feeling her head on his shoulder, he instinctively wrapped an arm around her body and pulled her close. A small hand came to rest on his stomach and he slowly opened his eyes to take a peek at the clock.

"Peanut…its 5.30 in the morning… What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep any longer. I start 1st grade today. I'm going to be with the big children. Do you think they will be nice Daddy?"

Troy sighed and kissed the top of her head gently.

"Why wouldn't they be, sweetheart? Has anyone told you stories?"

"No, but they…" a yawn interrupted her. "Are so much bigger than me."

"No one is going to be mean to you Vi, and if someone says something that isn't nice, you just tell a teacher and everything will be fine. Now close your eyes. We don't have to get up for at least another hour," he said and started stroking her bare arm, knowing it would lull her back into dreamland.

"Ok…"

Sighing softly he relaxed against the soft pillows and brushed one of Violet's blond curls off his chest. The little girl's steady breathing told him she was already asleep, but it wasn't as easy for him. Her question rang in his head and he couldn't help but worry if there was a reason for her nerves. As far as he knew no one had ever picked on her, but she _was _going to be around older kids now; kids that might take advantage of the fact that she was quite shy and reserved.

Inwardly groaning, he shut his eyes and forced the thoughts out of his head. There was no use in worrying prematurely. The only outcome of that was making Violet even more hesitant than she already was, and that was the last thing he wanted.

---hsm---

Putting the purple brush down, Troy reached for a hair elastic and carefully secured Violets long tendrils in a half ponytail.

"And the ribbon," she said firmly and handed her dad the light blue ribbon she'd been clutching in her hand.

"If you say so princess. It's your big day today," he said as he tied it into a bow, hiding the black elastic below. "There you go. Now go find your dress while daddy finds your backpack."

"Ok, but I can't do the zwipper thing."

"Zipper, and I will help you with that. Just bring the dress to the living room," he chuckled. A smile spreading on his face as he watched the little girl skip out of the bathroom. Putting away the brush, elastics and ribbons, he took a glance at himself in the mirror and ran a hand through his unruly locks.

"Dad?!"

"Two minutes Vi," he yawned and reached for his toothbrush.

"Ok!" came her reply and he silently thanked the gods for giving him a child that actually listened to him. Making quick work of his teeth, he simply shook his head and watched the locks fall in whatever position they felt like. _I'll never win over my hair_, he thought as he stepped over the threshold and walked towards the living room.

Violet stood right in the middle of the room, her long purple nightgown replaced with a blue and purple plaid dress that hung loose over her shoulders.

"Don't you look pretty lil' princess?"

"Aunty Taylor bought it." She stated, turning around so he could pull the zipper up.

"Aunty Taylor is good at shopping pretty dresses isn't she?" Troy asked, grinning as he thought of the dress collection that filled her closet. Taylor had made it her mission to make sure 'her little angel' didn't turn into a lunk-headed basketball girl, the moment Troy had announced he was getting a daughter.

"Yeah, and pretty shoes too!" Violet beamed.

"Where are your shoes Peanut? You can't go to school barefoot now can you?" he asked and squeezed her bare foot in his hand.

"I'll find them!" she exclaimed as she turned around and ran out of the room.

"Careful on the stairs!"

"Yes Daddy!"

---hsm---

Feeling the suns warm beams on her face, Gabriella bolted up in bed, heart beating rapidly in her chest. What time was it? Her hand flew to the nightstand, knocking over a glass of water before her fingers wrapped around her phone.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed as the blue glass shattered against the wooden floor. The last thing she needed on her first day was a cut from broken glass. Averting her eyes from the mess on the floor, she slid her phone open and glanced at the clock.

6.45am

Letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding; she fell back amongst her pillows. She wasn't late after all. It was exactly one and a half hours till she was expected at school, and with extreme effort she carefully kicked off her thin duvet.

She needed a shower.

And a towel to soak up the water on the floor.

But most of all she needed something to calm her nerves.

---hsm---

Wrapping a big fluffy towel around herself; Gabriella stepped out of the bathroom and into her bedroom. The outfit she had picked for the day hung neatly on hangers at the back of her door, the only thing remaining was to put it on. That. And sorting hair out.

As she reached for fresh underwear, she let the towel pool at her feet, shivering slightly as the cool air hit her bare body. Wet tendrils clung to her back and she quickly grabbed the towel from the floor and wrapped it around her hair, squeezing out as much water as possible.

With her hair secured, she slipped on a pair of white panties with a matching bra before walking towards her dresser where her blow-drier and makeup waited for her.

---hsm---

At exactly 7.30 she walked out of the apartment complex dressed in a black high-waisted skirt with a white shirt neatly tucked into it. A pair of black high-heeled sandals adorned her feet, and her long dark curls had been pulled into loose ponytail over her left shoulder. If anything, she wanted to look smart, but not overly dressed for her very first day at Santa Monica Montessori.

---HSM---

**AN: **There you have it! Hope you liked it :) and i'd be very happy to hear what you think, whether it be praise or critisism :)

Caroline


	3. Little Bluebirds

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**AN: **Here you have chapter 2 :) Huge thanks to **Mya **for always lending a helping hand, and to **flywithmes2 **for betaing and helping me make this chapter better :)

Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: **Little Bluebirds

Gabriella bit her lip as she followed the principal down one of the many corridors in the school. The walls around her were decorated with art projects and a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she passed a tree made entirely out of handprints.

One month. She had one month to prove that she could do her job properly and gain both respect and love from the children. When her trial period was over, the students - along with the other teachers - would give the principal their opinion of her, and only then would she know for certain if the job was hers.

"Miss Montez?"

"Yes, Dr. Schoenbaum?"

"Today you will be teaching together with Mr. Adam Jones. Mr. Jones is the main teacher of this class and will accompany you on all your working days. On Fridays however, your half day, you will be teaching with our other part time teacher, Mr. Thomas Sinclair. Your class is named _Bluebird_ and all the children have their own peg on this wall here. To make it easier for the youngest ones, each peg has their name and picture fastened above it."

Gabriella nodded as she cast a quick glance at all the pictures.

"There are thirty children aged between five and nine. Now, Miss Montez?"

Nervously she looked up.

"Try not to look so petrified. They are quite well behaved," he said and gave her a friendly wink. A giggle escaped before she managed to stop it and he smiled at her.

"They are just in the process of welcoming nine new first graders, shall we join them?" He asked and opened the door. Nodding she ran a hand through her curls and followed close behind the principal.

The classroom, like the hallway, was full of colorful art projects along with all the letters of the alphabet; vowels colored red and consonants blue. At the back of the room the whole class was sitting on three wooden benches that were placed in the shape of a horseshoe.

"Good morning, Mr. Jones. Good morning, little bluebirds."

"Good morning, Mr. Schoebaum."

"I've brought a new teacher with me today. Her name is Gabriella Montez, and she will be with you on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Give her a warm welcome now."

"Good morning, Miss Montez!"

Gabriella smiled and looked at each of the children. Picking out the nine new ones wasn't hard as they all seemed to look as scared as she had felt mere minutes ago.

"Good morning, everyone."

"I'm going to leave you in the hands of Mr. Jones now. If you have any questions please come see me in my office. Good luck, Gabriella."

"Thanks, Mr. Schoebaum."

"Now, since we have so many new faces today, I thought we'd all start with a little name game. Each and every one of you, including Miss Montez, have to tell the other what your name is, how old you are and something you really want. Let's start on this side…" Mr. Jones said as he scooted over, giving Gabriella room to sit next to him.

Ten minutes later she had learned that Matthew wanted a new electric car rather than a sister; that Nora wanted to start boxing, but was afraid to ask, and that George wished his parents would give the bird away to someone it didn't make sneeze.

The next one up was possibly one of the cutest girls Gabriella had ever seen. Long blond curls slipped over her shoulder as she moved slightly. Her skin was a soft tan, but what really caught her eye were the two sapphire blue eyes that floated over the crowd before settling on a spot on the floor.

"My name's Violet. I'm five and a half, and I really wish I had a mommy."

Gabriella's heart broke as the little girl looked up and met her eyes. Sending her a small smile she took a deep breath and tried to turn her attention to the next child. This however, proved to be harder than she thought as Violet's words kept echoing in her head. All little girls needed a mommy, or at least someone who represented one.

"Miss Montez you're next," Mr. Jones said, snapping Gabriella out of her thoughts.

"Oh, well my name is Gabriella Mae Montez; I'm twenty-eight years old, and I really hope that I get to be a dance instructor in the evenings."

Suddenly all the girls' eyes seemed to be focused on her, their expression somewhere between amazement and admiration.

"You can _dance_?!"

She couldn't help the giggle that escaped.

"Yes I can. I've been dancing since I was about 6 years old."

"Wow."

"I can dance too. My mommy let me take ballet classes," one of the eight year olds stated proudly. "I've even been in a recital! We were snowflakes!"

"Really? You must be really good then," Gabriella said and smiled as the girls face lit up.

"What kind of dance do you do?"

"Are you a real ballerina?"

"Have you won any medals?"

"Do you dance with boys?"

"Do you get to wear pretty dresses?"

"Can you dance on your toes?"

"Whoa now girls! Let Miss Montez breathe. I'm sure she will answer all your questions if you only take your turns asking them. So one at the time. Let's start with Amanda's question."

"What kind of dance do I do…I used to dance what is called Ballroom and Latin American. Maybe you've seen it on TV? In _Dancing with the Stars?_" a series of nods were sent her way. "You need a partner to dance those kinds of dances, and sadly my partner didn't move with me. So right now I can't dance like that."

"Can you dance other dances too?"

"I can. I can tap and dance ballet."

"Like a ballerina! So you _are _a ballerina Miss Montez!"

Gabriella laughed and shook her head.

"I wouldn't say I'm a ballerina. Ballerinas dance in the big ballets you have to pay to watch. I'm not that good. But I love to dance, and I used to teach little girls just like you before I moved here."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Can you dance on your toes too?"

"Yes, but you don't do it on your toes. You have to wear special shoes called En Pointe shoes, but you have to be at least eleven years old to start that, because your feet aren't big enough yet."

"Oh…"

"Miss Montez?"

"Yes, Peter?"

"Can boys dance ballet too?"

"They most certainly can, Peter."

"I thought only girls did ballet."

"The majority is made up by girls, but boys are always welcome."

Peter's face lit up and Gabriella grinned. It wasn't often she met little boys who wanted to dance, but on the rare occasions she did; encouragement was given in huge amounts.

"Do you have any more questions for Miss Montez? If not I think it's time for all of you to find your seats. All the tables have a little card with someone's name on it. Your task is to find your own name and sit down at that desk. If you still find reading a little hard, ask one of the older children and they will help you. One-two-three-GO!" Mr. Jones said and all the children spread across the room, trying to read all the name cards at once. Unconsciously Gabriella's eyes followed little Violet as she found her seat and sat down. She knew it was wrong and that she should probably fight it; but she had already developed a soft spot for the blue eyed girl that was currently observing the other children as they jumped onto their chairs.

Her teaching career seemed to be getting off to a good start.

---hsm---

"Peanut? You here?" Troy yelled as he stepped into his living room.

"Daddy!" She was running straight towards him, and with a big smile he scooped her up and swung her around.

"Hey there my little first grader! Has Gramma been nice to you while I've been gone?" he asked as he settled her on his hip, fully aware that she in reality was too old to be carried around.

"Yes! And she got to meet Miss Montez at school," Violet said enthusiastically and swung her legs gently back and forth.

"Miss Montez, huh? Is she one of your teachers?" he asked, feeling a pang of guilt. He should have been there to pick her up and meet her teachers on the very first day of school.

"Yeah! She isn't in my class every day like Mr. Jones, but she's really nice. She's almost a ballerina."

"A ballerina?" Troy asked and sat down on the couch.

"Almost. She said she teached ballet to little girls."

"Taught," he corrected gently.

"Yes that. And she wants to do that again too. When she's not in school."

"And what does Gramma think about her?" he asked as his mother, Lucille Bolton, walked into the living room carrying two cups of coffee.

"She thinks she's really nice and genuinely seems to care about all the children. The children had certainly fallen in love with her. Some of them looked almost devastated when they found out she wouldn't be there tomorrow."

Troy smiled and reached for his coffee cup, careful not to spill anything on Violet who was sitting sideways on his lap. Taking a sip he looked over at his mom who mirrored his actions. Sometimes he found it hard to believe that more than five years had passed since the day he called his mother in a frenzy to tell her that Violet had been born. From that moment on she had stood by his side and gently guided him when he'd been lost. Without her he didn't know where he'd be, but he was certain that where-ever it was it would have been a bumpier road than the one he was currently on. Lucille had been his pillar through everything that had happened, she had been there for him to lean on, and there to lend him a hand when he needed one. As he looked at her now, he just hoped that one day he'd be able to re-pay her for everything she had done for him.

Shaking his head slightly he turned his attention back to Violet.

"What else happened today, Vi? Did you meet anyone nice you can play with?"

"We colored some, and then we had to draw our house and our family. I cheated a little," she said and looked up with worried eyes. "I drew that we had a dog. I didn't mean to. But I really want a puppy."

Troy and Lucille both fought to keep their laughter in as he planted a kiss on Violet's head.

"That's quite alright, peanut," he chuckled.

"There was a nice boy called Jack, he let me use his superman pencil when my pink one broke."

"Did you play with him?"

"A little, but he wanted to play superhero with the older boys."

"Was there anyone else you played with?"

"Anna and Ellie a little bit. And then I colored this pretty picture Miss Montez had brought."

Inwardly sighing he glanced at his mother who gave him a small smile. That Violet was shy was something he had discovered early on. Her kindergarten teachers had voiced their worry more than once regarding her tendency to play alone rather than join in with all the others.

"That's really nice sweetheart. Did you get any papers for daddy at school?"

"Uhu," she said and yawned. "Gramma put them somewhere."

"Kitchen Table," Lucille said before standing up.

"I think it's time for Gramma to go now Violet. It's getting late and tomorrow I have to work with grumpy old smelly George," she said while scrunching up her nose. Violet giggled and wiggled out of Troy's arms.

"Will you come back soon?" Violet asked and stretched her hands up towards Lucille. The older woman smiled and picked her up.

"Of course."

"Promise?"

"Super promise," she said and hugged the little girl tight.

"I'll bring Grandpa next time too. How does that sound?"

"Will you bring Teddy too?" she asked, referring to the big brown Leonberger dog her grandparents had gotten the year after she was born.

"If daddy says its ok."

"Daddy? Please?"

Troy laughed.

"Of course Teddy can come."

"Yay!"

"That's settled then. Bye sweetie, make sure your daddy behaves well ok?"

"I will. Bye, Gramma."

Shaking his head Troy followed his mom to the door as Violet ran to her room.

"Don't worry so much about her, Troy. She'll come out of it in her own time," Lucille said as she put on her shoes.

"I know, I just don't want her to feel lonely."

"I know that. But honey, you can't force her to play with others. It has to come naturally. Give her some time. You should have seen her earlier today, with Miss Montez. That young woman brought out the real Violet without even being aware of it. She was awfully pretty too," she smirked.

"Mom…" Troy groaned.

"Just stating a fact, honey."

"Sure you were."

"Just you wait, you will agree with me once you meet her."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he muttered.

Lucille let out a laugh, silently hoping that she was right. Her son needed to meet someone, someone who would love Violet like she was her own daughter, and she had a feeling that Gabriella Montez certainly would.

"Good night, honey."

" Night mom. Thanks for watching her tonight."

"No problem. I love to spend time with her. You know that."

"Was she disappointed when I didn't come today?"

"She asked why I was there, but I don't think she was really disappointed."

"Good, that's good."

"Good night, Troy," she said and kissed his cheek.

"Night mom. Drive carefully."

"I will. Now go put your Peanut to bed. She looked exhausted."

Troy chuckled and closed the door behind his mother. One day he had to find a way to repay her for everything she had done for him after Violet was born. Being a single dad hadn't been easy, but she had stood by him through it all and steered him in the right direction when he lost his way. Words simply weren't enough when it came to his gratitude, in fact; nothing seemed to measure up to how he felt, he just hoped she knew.

"Daddy…"

Violet's voice brought him back to the living room just as he was about to collide with the coffee table. Her long blue nightgown danced between her legs as she made her way towards him with a book in her hands.

"Will you read to me about the chocolate factory? Augustus Gloop had just falled into the river, and I want to see what happens!"

Smiling he bent down and slipped one arm around her back as the other went behind her knees. A giggle escaped from her when he lifted her up and twirled around on the spot.

"You want to know, huh?"

"Yes! Maybe he drowned in the chocolate! Can you drown in chocolate, daddy?"

"I don't know, Vi. Guess we have to read the chapter to find out," he said and sat down in the big bean bag chair in Violet's play-corner. Cradling his daughter on his lap he opened the book where she had carefully marked it with a butterfly paperclip, and continued the story he enjoyed reading almost as much as she enjoyed listening to.

"'_Save him!'screamed Mrs. Gloop, going white in the face, and waving her umbrella about. 'He'll drown! He can't swim a yard! Save him! Save him!'_"

Violet giggled as Troy made his voice higher to resemble a woman's. Smiling at the sound; he focused on the book once more, this time making his voice much deeper than it usually was.

"'_Good havens, woman,' said Mr. Gloop, 'I'm not diving in there! I've got my best suit on!' Augustus Goop's face came up again to the surface, painted brown with chocolate. 'Help! Help! Help!' he yelled. 'Fish me out!'_…"

**AN; **There you have it guys :) Please tell me what you think.

Caroline


	4. Beautiful

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks.**

**AN: **As always, a huge thanks to **Mya **for kicking my butt, and to **flywithmes2**for helping me make the chapter better :D you girls rock!

Sorry it took me so long to post this, but i really hope you like it!

**Chapter 3: Beautiful  
**

There was something comforting about standing all alone in the middle a dance studio. The wooden floors and mirrored walls provided a sense of belonging Gabriella wasn't even aware she had missed.  
Smiling at her own reflection she stood up on her tiptoes, straightened her back, and let her feet move in a waltzing sequence only she knew.

1-2-3

1-2-3

1-2-3

Excitement slowly spread through her veins and she closed her eyes. She didn't know what it was about dancing that made her feel so content, but when she was dancing it was as if nothing could hurt her. All fears and troubling thoughts were left behind in the changing room, and all that mattered was that pure and utter happiness that floated through her body.

"If you can dance like that on your own, I can't wait to see what you can do once paired up with someone."

Tripping over her feet, Gabriella fell towards the floor where she landed with a groan.

"Oh my. I didn't mean to scare you, Miss Montez."

Gabriella giggled and blushed slightly.

"Don't worry about it. I should have paid more attention," she said as she stood up and straightened her clothes. The middle-aged woman followed her every move and Gabriella bit her lip nervously.

"Unless you didn't already figure it out, I'm Mrs. Dawson, the director of the school. Tell me Miss, how many years have you studied dance? You move with the uttermost grace."

"Oh…uhm…since I was about four years old. My mother enrolled me in ballet and it just grew from there. Tap; a bit of Jazz, Latin and Ballroom, dancing has always been a part of my life," Gabriella said with a slight blush coloring her cheeks. Despite winning several dance competitions as a child, she had never dealt well with compliments.

Mrs. Dawson smiled.

"I can tell. From your letter I also understood that you have studied dance at university?"

"Yes, Ma'm, I have a degree in Classical Ballet, and a minor in Latin American."

"So if you were to be an instructor here, what classes would you like to teach?" the older woman asked as she moved to sit down in one of the two chairs in the corner. Gabriella silently followed her and sat down in the other chair.

"I would love to teach the youngest ones. While I was in college I had a part time job teaching children between four and seven ballet and basic tap. Ballroom and Latin wouldn't be problem either. That has always been a passion of mine."

"Why did you stop?"

"My partner quit, and finding a new one isn't the easiest task. There always seems to be a shortage of boys who enjoy dancing," she said and locked eyes with Mrs. Dawson who smiled at her.

"I think there would most definitely be room for you here Gabriella. You've got this passion about dancing that I adore in my instructors. We have a kindergarten ballet class starting this Thursday, I have an instructor who is able to do it, but she's heavily pregnant and therefore will not be able to continue past this week. How do you feel about being her replacement?"

Gabriella smiled and bit her lip.

"I would love to. Do you need me to start this week or the next? Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days I have off from the elementary school, so I can easily start this week."

"This week would be great. The class starts at six pm, but the instructors are usually in place at the studio at least fifteen minutes before that. There's a pre-kindergarten class starting in this studio at five pm this evening. I would highly recommend that you observe that one from the sidelines, just to get a general overview over how the classes are usually run here."

"That's not a problem at all. Mrs. Dawson?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes?"

"Is it too late for students to enroll in a class? I have a few students at school who I think would love to have a few lessons."

"It's not too late at all. At the moment the kindergarten class only has nine students enrolled. With the youngest ones we draw the line at fifteen to keep it manageable and to ensure that they get some individual attention, but there are still open spaces." Mrs. Dawson said with a smile. "I'll see you at five this evening."

Gabriella nodded and watched as the older woman walked out the door with a smile on her face. She was going to dance again, and she was going to get paid to do so. Could one get a more perfect second job?

Grinning she looked around the brightly lit studio. Dark hardwood floors, a mirrored wall and bars in two different heights. It was an environment she knew well, and as she walked out of the door she really couldn't wait till the moment she got to share her love with excited children.

---hsm---

Keeping a close eye on Violet, Troy carefully maneuvered his way through the many shelves of dance equipment. Pants, shoes, dresses, and t-shirts of all sizes and colors surrounded them, but the little girl only had eyes for one thing; the children's corner. When she had walked into the living room and announced that she wanted to start dancing with Miss Montez he had simply nodded his head and asked her when. She had looked at him through surprised eyes and said 'tomorrow.' So now, after realizing that his daughter owned nothing she classified as ballerina clothes, he was making his way through a dance equipment store to get her what she needed.

"Daddy! Come on!"

"I'm coming I'm coming," he said and almost knocked over a shoe rack with Latin American dance shoes.

"You know what Violet?"

"What?" she giggled.

"I don't think this store was made for daddies."

"No, it's made for ballerinas."

"Right you are, peanut, right you are," he chuckled as he eased his way towards the wall with leotards and skirts. Violet's blue eyes resembled saucers as she gazed up the different models and colors in front of her. Looking around, Troy scratched his neck and suddenly wished he had brought his mom along. This was one area where he really didn't know what his daughter needed.

"Good evening, sir, may I help you with anything?"

Troy spun around and smiled in relief as his eyes landed on a young sales assistant.

"Quite possibly. This little one is starting ballet lessons tomorrow and needs just about everything you need for that."

The young woman suppressed a giggle and sat down so she was on eye level with Violet.

"Hey Sweetie, did you see anything you like?" she asked. Violet fumbled for Troy's hand as she nodded her head carefully.

"Yeah? Do you want to show me so we can find the right size?"

Troy looked down at his daughter as she stared at the floor and bit her lip gently.

"She's a little shy," he said with a smile. The sales assistant nodded, but didn't move to stand up.

"She's not the first one," she said.

"Which one did you like, Violet?" he asked. Her answer was so quiet he had problem hearing it, but the young girl apparently had.

"The purple one?" she asked. Violet nodded slowly as she pointed to a light purple leotard with a thin purple skirt already attached to it. The young woman smiled and stood up.

"What size does she use?" she asked as she fumbled with the tags that held both the size and the price.

"Five."

"Let see…here's a five," she said unhooking the clothes hanger and showing it to Troy and Violet. The skirt danced slightly and Violet carefully reached out to touch it. The short poofy sleeves were made of the same material as the skirt and Troy suddenly got a flashback to the time his older sister had dressed him up as a princess. Shuddering he twisted a lock of Violet's hair around his finger before crouching down.

"That's the one you want, Peanut?" She nodded. "Do you want to try it on?"

"Do I have to?" she whispered quietly. Troy shook his head.

"No you don't, let's just see if it's long enough for your body, huh?" he said just as the sales assistant handed him the leotard. After making sure it was the right size, they got help picking out suitable slippers, a thin wrap around jacket, and a few pairs of white tights.

It was a proud, but tired little girl who one hour later carried her own bag into the Bolton living room with a smile on her face.

"Are you excited about tomorrow?" Troy asked as he placed their shoes on the shoe rack.

"Yes…but, Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you come with me?" she asked quietly.

Smiling he turned to look at his daughter. The brave girl that had so boldly told him she wanted to dance had disappeared, and in her place stood his vulnerable baby girl, looking timid as ever as she realized exactly what she was about to do.

"Of course I'll come with you sweetheart. I have to meet this Miss Montez that you like to much don't I?" he said and tapped her nose gently. Violet grinned and nodded her head.

"You do," she stated before walking towards her room with her new things, leaving a chuckling Troy alone in the living room.

---HSM---

Looking around the studio once more, Gabriella carefully re-tied the ribbons on her skirt around her waist. The black color contrasted beautifully against her burgundy leotard and she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Once she had found it embarrassing to like looking at herself while dancing, but that embarrassment had faded once she graduated to the higher levels at her dance school. With a smile still playing on her lips, she pointed her left leg to the side, bent her right knee in preparation, and did a perfect double pirouette. Oh, how she had missed dancing over the past few months.

The pitter-patter of little feet pulled Gabriella out of her thoughts, and she gave herself a once-over before turning towards the door. Her heart was beating excitingly against her ribs as she reached for the doorknob and took a deep breath. It had been months since she had taught a class and she couldn't help the worry that slowly spread throughout her body. What if she disappointed them?

"_Mommy? Will my teacher be a real ballerina?" _

Gabriella couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. She lived for comments like that. One of the biggest gifts children bring next to love is innocence and simplicity. Things are rarely complicated to them; they can handle the most complex situations with ease as their explanations tend to be clearer than what most adults can come up with. Still smiling, she turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

"She IS a ballerina mommy! Look!" A little girl with tightly braided French braids exclaimed as she pointed towards Gabriella.

"Shh, Hannah, it's rude to point," her mother scolded as she removed Hannah's shoes and replaced them with pink slippers.

"Hey everyone, are you excited?" Gabriella asked. The sea of pink nodded timidly as everyone suddenly fell quiet.

"Good," she grinned. "I'm excited too."

The little girls stared at her in awe as the parents got them changed, and Gabriella quickly counted them to see how many were still missing. Just as she finished she heard a door closing and quickly poked her head into the hallway.

"Daddy, what way do we go?" a sweet voice asked. She sounded vaguely familiar and Gabriella tilted her head to try and get a better view just as the fathers head suddenly turned. The stunning blue eyes were the first thing that caught Gabriella's attention and she did a double take.

"I think it's this way, Vi," he said without moving his eyes and Gabriella felt a blush creep up her neck. Not good. As she forced herself to blink she could hear them moving closer and silently vowed to stay professional.

"Daddy, that's Miss Montez!"

Her eyes flew open and were met with the adorable sight of an excited little Violet Bolton. Dressed in purple and white, she was tightly holding on to her daddy's hand with a smile on her face. Gabriella momentarily forgot about the blush the blue-eyed dad had triggered and sat down in front of Violet.

"Hey sweetie, you look real pretty today."

"Thank you. I wanted my hair all pretty too…but daddy didn't know how to make it that way," Violet said and Gabriella suppressed a giggle.

"Maybe I can teach daddy some time? It's not as hard as it looks."

"Not sure that would be a good idea. This little princess seems to think I'm better at tugging than anything else," Gabriella laughed at his comment and stood up.

"Troy Bolton," he said and extended his hand.

"Gabriella Montez."

"So you're the Miss Montez, Vi has told me so much about."

"Unless she knows any other Miss Montez's I suppose I am," she said as another blush heated her cheeks. She'd never dealt well with compliments, especially not when they came from an absolutely gorgeous blue eyed stranger.

"Miss Montez…"

Gabriella blinked before looking down at Violet who was still holding onto her daddy's hand tightly.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can daddy stay and watch?" She asked quietly.

"Of course daddy can watch, all the mommies and daddies can on the first day," Gabriella said with a smile as Troy guided Violet towards a chair.

Ten minutes later all the girls were seated in a circle on the floor of the studio with their legs extended in front of them.

"Ok, I know you're all very excited about dancing today, but I thought it would be best if we all knew each other's names first. Dance lessons are first and foremost a place to have fun, and it's so much easier when you have friends around each other. I'll start. My name is Gabriella Montez. At school the students call me Miss Montez, but here in dance class you can call me Gabriella or Gabi. Whatever's easiest for you. Can you tell me your name, sweetie?" she asked the little girl next to her.

"I'm Charlotte, but you can call me Lottie. That's what all my friends do. What's your name?" she asked the girl sitting next to her.

"My name's Sarah…just Sarah. What's yours?"

"Madeleine….."

---HSM---

The classical music floated around the room and Troy couldn't stop the grin from spreading on his face. His little girl, his pride and joy, was learning to dance, and looked absolutely adorable doing so. With furrowed eyebrows and her lower lip caged in by her front teeth, she did her best to copy the moves Gabriella had just showed them. So far he had learned that the misplaced banister on the wall was actually called a bar, and that the exercise the children were currently doing was called plié's. To him it looked more like practicing curtseying, but as long as his baby was having fun he really didn't care.

"Very good! You're doing so well! Now, do you think you can point out your toe like this and tap it on the floor? There you go! Now the other leg," Gabriella instructed as she walked past the girls and helped those who wanted it.

"Good work, girls! Can you all come out here on the floor and make a circle? Very nice, now; do any of you know what a split is? Yes Hannah?"

"When you can sit down on the floor with one leg in front of you and one behind you?" she timidly asked. Gabriella nodded.

"That's right. That's one of the two splits you can do. The other one is when one leg is extended on either side of you."

"Can you do that?" one of the older girls asked.

"Yes, I can. It took me a while to learn though. For some children it's easier than for others, maybe some of you already know how?"

"I can do it."

"Me too."

"Very good. Maybe you can show the other girls how you do it?"

"Can't you show us, Miss Montez?" Violet asked shyly, speaking up for the first time since they walked into the studio.

"If you girls want me to?" she was answered with a series of nods, and a smile grew on her face as she slowly slid down towards the floor.

Troy watched in fascination until her legs were fully extended on either side of her upper body. The act looked completely effortless to her, but he couldn't help but cringe as she slowly twisted her hips until the legs that were previously on either side of her now lay in front and behind her. Astounded he watched as some of the girls slid down just as easily as Gabriella had done, and foolishly thought how much it would have hurt if that had been him. Shuddering slightly, he moved his gaze towards Violet and was surprised to see that she was almost sitting on the floor as well. What was it with girls and flexibility?

"Great girls! Violet, you can almost do it; Hannah, you're very close, as well. Just a little practice and you'll all be able to do it. What we're doing now is called stretching. We'll do a little of that at the end of each lesson. Now; if you can all sit down with both your legs extended in front of you we're going to do another exercise. Good. Do you see how your toes are pointing straight up to the ceiling? Do you think you can do so that they point at the girl sitting in front of you like this?" she said and flexed her toes forward. The girls copied her move as best they could and Gabriella grinned at the effort radiating from the group.

"Great! And then point to the ceiling again. Good! And back at the girl in front of you. You're doing really well. Now lean forward and try to touch your toes without bending your knees. This can be tricky. Imagine they are wiggly jelly worms that you have to catch and then eat up! Wiggle wiggle wiggle!"

The girls giggled as Gabriella playfully wiggled her toes and tried to catch them with her hands.

"Awesome, little ladies! Now jump up on your feet and we're going to have some freestyle dancing. That means you can dance however you like!"

"Yay!"

Gabriella smiled and walked towards the CD player. It hadn't taken the girls long to get over their initial shyness, and as she changed the CD excited chatter broke out between them. Only a few of the girls stayed on their own and Gabriella made a mental note to keep an eye on them throughout the first few weeks. She pressed play and the happy, upbeat notes of the '_Lazy Town_' soundtrack filled the room.

_Bing Bang Diggly Dong  
First thing that I say after I wake up  
Bing Bang Diggly Dong  
I say those words before I go to sleep_

_Get on up it's time to dance yeah  
It's so much fun being up on our feet_

_So we go up up  
To the top  
Move around and clap your hands together  
Down down turn around  
Having fun is what it's all about_

Troy chuckled as he watched the children jump around the room while trying to follow the singer's instructions as best they could. Turning around while jumping seemed to be the hardest part; as many of them landed on the floor rather than on their feet. However, not all the girls were dancing, and he quickly noted that Violet was one of them. She was slowly making her way towards him and he could see that the shyness that had almost melted away was slowly building again.

"Daddy…"

"What's the matter Peanut? Don't you want to dance with the others anymore?" Troy asked as she sat down on his lap. Her only reply was a silent shake of her head.

"Ok, but Miss Gabriella is on her way over here, and I bet she wants you to come and join them," he said, making Violet's head turn towards the studio.

"Hey sweetheart, don't you want to join us?" Gabriella asked.

"No…"

"Are you sure about that? You can dance with me if you want to," she said, hoping to coax her out of her father's arms.

"Can't I just watch with daddy?"

"If that's what you really want, then that's fine. I won't force you if you don't want to," Gabriella said and stood up. With a smile she added; "If you change your mind you can come and join us anytime."

Troy followed Gabriella with his eyes as she walked towards the other children. He wasn't sure what it was, but something inside of him told him that he had just met a very special young woman; one that seemed to be equally beautiful on both the inside and the outside.

**AN; **and there you have chapter 3. Please tell me what you think. If you're curious about the song i quoted you will find a link on my profile

xxxCarolinexxx


	5. Worries

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks.**

**AN: **Here's the next chapter peeps :) Hope you like it!

Thanks to my beta **flywithmes2**, and to **Mya** for helping me get this chapter out!

Enjoy

**Chapter4: Worries**

The autumn sun beat down on Troy's back as he opened the entrance door to Santa Monica Montessori. The building was eerie quiet around him and quickly glanced at his watch. He had hoped to reach the school just as the kids were let out for recess, but by the looks of it he was a bit early. Smiling slightly he took time to actually look around as he walked slowly down the corridor. Artwork covered much of the walls and he could really see why Violet spoke about school with a gleam in her eye. A grin spread on his face as he noticed something Violet had made. The abstract watercolors resembled a flower, but he really couldn't be too sure.

Somewhere in the distance he could hear the clicking of heels, and he slowly continued towards the door to Violet's classroom. A part of him wanted to sneak a peak into that room. Almost every day he wondered how Violet acted in school. Was she the same shy girl? Or was she on her way out of her shell? He had asked her teachers, and even though he was certain they told him the truth, he still wanted to see for himself. Sighing he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. The footsteps he heard earlier were coming closer and he looked up just in time to see Gabriella trip over a stray shoe. She desperately tried to regain her balance, but her high heels made it almost impossible to do so. With a groan she hit the ground and Troy was instantly on his way over.

"Miss Montez?"

"Huh?" she visibly jumped at the sound of his voice, and if it wasn't for the absolute lost look in her eyes, he would have laughed. Instead he crouched down in front of her and carefully touched her hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Gabriella looked up at him and bit her lip. Was she ok? Physically, yeah, she was ok; except for the dull ache from falling over. It was her head that was causing her to walk around in a haze. A million thoughts swirled around at once and she didn't know which one to think first.

"Yeah, I guess," she finally said, watching as he stood up and extended his hand to her. Smiling ever so slightly, she grasped it and let him pull her to her feet again.

"You guess?" Troy asked skeptically.

Gabriella sighed and closed her eyes.

"I just came back from a meeting with the principal about my trial period."

"Your trial period?" he asked slightly confused. Hadn't she already gotten the job?

"Yeah, every new teacher has a trial period, when that period is up, both teachers and students will speak their mind and can by that affect the principal's decision to whether or not you keep the job."

Troy scratched the back of his neck. He didn't know what to tell her, what did she want to hear?

"I can't speak for everyone," he finally said. "But I know for a fact that Violet loves you."

Gabriella smiled.

"Thanks. I care about her too you know…apparently too much." The second she realized what she has said she wanted to take it back. She wasn't supposed to tell parents about these sorts of things. It was highly unprofessional to voice opinions about the children in their presence…yet that was exactly what she was doing.

Troy couldn't help the smile that spread on his face.

"What do you mean you care about her too much?"

"The principal just told me that he had been made aware of possibly favoritism towards her, and that that's something they frown upon. He said he understood that I also teach Violet outside of school, but that during the day here I should not approach her any different than I would any other child," she said with a sigh. It wasn't a secret that she felt like she shared something special with Violet, but she really hadn't thought that her actions had indicated anything like pure favoritism.

"Well…I have to be honest and say that I'm really glad you care about my daughter," Troy said. "But I honestly can't say I've ever thought that you might care more about her than about any of the other children."

"I didn't think I acted different towards her either…apparently I was wrong. I just…I really want this job, and I think it would royally suck if I didn't get it because I cared _too_ much," she said and lowered her head. Troy looked at her, wrecking his brain for something to say, but his mind came up blank.

"You don't have to say anything," Gabriella said after a while. "I really don't think I was supposed to tell you any of that in the first place," she mumbled as an afterthought.

Troy chuckled.

"Your secrets safe with me then."

She smiled, then knitted her eyebrows together.

"Why are you here? I mean the school day isn't over yet."

"Violet's got a doctor's appointment; I thought I'd pick her up during recess rather than disturbing the class later," he said, jumping slightly as the bell went off. Gabriella smiled at his surprised expression and straightened her outfit. Troy glanced at her and scratched the back of his neck again, silently registering that he seemed to be doing that a lot around her.

"So…uhm, will you be ok?" he asked just as the students started filing out of the classrooms.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just…I didn't expect that conversation at all," she said with a slight smile. Worry still etched in her clear brown eyes. He wanted to respond, but just as he opened his mouth Mr. Jones appeared in the doorway and waved her over. Gabriella shot him an apologetic smile before she weaved her way through the children.

Troy glanced at her once more; she wasn't the only one who hoped she would keep her job. Shaking his head slightly he started looking for Violet in the crowd, it wasn't normal to feel so bad for your daughters teacher was it? A voice in the back of his mind silently whispered no, and he knew deep down that she should probably try and distance himself a bit; the problem was that he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

---HSM---

Gabriella had just put her last folder into her messenger bag when her phone vibrated against her thigh. Fishing it out of her pocket she groaned when 'mom' flashed across the screen. She secured the bag over her shoulder before she flipped the phone open.

"Hey mom," she said as she stepped into the hallway and started walking towards the schools entrance door, waving goodbye to people as she went.

"_Hello, Gabriella. You sound distracted, are you? Because you know you should never talk to people unless you can give them your undivided attention."_

Gabriella groaned and pushed open the door.

"Yes mother, I know. I'm just leaving work."

"_Don't take that tone with me Gabriella." _

"I don't have a tone, mom."

"_Yes, you most definitely do and I do not appreciate it young lady." _

"Mom, was there a reason for this call?" Gabriella sighed as she turned a corner and continued towards her flat. She hated the relationship she had with her mother. It had been many years since the last time she felt like her mother understood her and she'd give anything for feeling the acceptance she so longed for.

"_Yes there was. You've received a letter from your grandmother in France. I went to mail it to you, but halfway to the post office I realized that I don't have your new address. Now; I'm in the car right now, but I was wondering if you could send me an email when you have the chance? You do have internet in that dorm of yours right?"_

"It's not a dorm, mom. It's an apartment. And as a matter of fact I do have internet there. I'll mail you the address when I get home. Anything else?"

"_Well, I was wondering how you were. I haven't spoken to you in a while, not since you decided to start this teaching job. Is it at least a nice school Gabi?" _

Gabriella bit her lip in disappointment. For a small second she had thought her mother actually cared without judging. But oh, no; Teresa Garcia always had a snide remark regarding her daughter's choice of occupation.

"I'm fine mom," she sighed. "The school's nice. It's in Santa Monica."

"_Good, I'm glad you're fine. Take care of yourself in the city. Always have pepper spray in your purse. You never know."_

Gabriella couldn't help but crack a smile.

"I'll remember that mom."

"_Good. Listen, I have to let you go, a client is calling."_

"Ok, talk to you later."

"_Remember to mail me your address, Gabriella." _

"Don't worry, mom. I'll do it as soon as I get home," Gabriella said as stopped and waited for the light to switch so she could cross the street.

"_Ok, goodbye honey."_

"Bye, mom." With that she hung up and crossed the busy street. As she slipped the phone into her pocket she couldn't stop the sadness that swept over her. Once upon a time she had been close to her mom, felt like she understood her, but that had all changed when her father died. Everything had changed then.

Daddy's little girl had suddenly been left on her own. Even though she had had a good relationship with her mom back then, it was her dad who had played the biggest part in her life. He was the one who had come to parents' day, the one who took her to dance lessons, encouraged her to follow her dreams. Then during senior year he had left her. She had been in the midst of a meeting at school when the principal had knocked on the door and asked for her.

Gabriella shuddered at the memory. It had been a long time, but that memory still haunted her, still made her stomach churn and made tears well up in her eyes.

The relationship with her mother had gone downhill from there. Submerged in her own sadness, Teresa had drowned herself in her work, leaving Gabriella alone for the majority of the school-year. Feeling lonelier than she thought possible, Gabriella had done what her father had always encouraged her to do; follow her dream. She had always had top grades in school, been at the top of her class and won several decathlon competitions. All through her childhood her mother had talked about how great it would be the day she studied at Stanford. How proud she would be. Yet when the acceptance letters had started coming, Gabriella had picked the one school her mother did not expect her to pick. She had picked a school that offered a dance major.

"_You're wasting your life on a _hobby_ Gabriella! All that hard work…for nothing!" _

She remembered the fight vividly and a part of her was sure that her mother had never forgiven her for 'throwing away' her chance at becoming a doctor. Gabriella sighed. Her dad would have understood.

Angrily she wiped away the lone tear that had made its way down her cheek before fishing out the key to the front door. Her already bad afternoon had taken a turn for the worst, all thanks to her mother. All she wanted right now was a nice relaxing bath, then curl up on the couch with a good book.

The door clicked open and Gabriella quickly made her way upstairs. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone and let out a sigh of relief when her apartment door was within sight.

As soon as she stepped inside she let her bag drop from her shoulder and kicked off her shoes. Letting her back rest against the closed doors she shut her eyes and gently rubbed her temples. The conversation she had had with the principal still echoed in her head, and that alone was enough to give her a headache. Add the thought of telling her mother and she felt like a complete failure.

After a few minutes Gabriella gently pushed away from the door and walked into the bathroom where she started filling the tub. Stripping her clothes of she glanced at herself in the mirror and ran a hand through her tousled curls. How was she supposed to treat Violet differently now? The little girl had gotten used to how Gabriella responded to her, there was no way she could push her away; hurt her feelings.

Slowly she slid into the warm water and closed her eyes at the sensation. As the dark cloud lifted, she let her thought wander. Moving to Los Angeles had been slightly different than she had imagined. She had been prepared to miss her friends, but she had missed the memo about how hard it was to get new friends in a foreign city when you weren't a child. Sure, she knew a few of the other teachers, but none of them were people she could see herself hanging out with. The only person who had really sparked her interest was one that shouldn't…Mr. Troy Bolton.

He was gorgeous, nice, sweet…and a father. Gabriella sighed. He was the sweetest dad she had ever seen.

_Gabrielle re-adjusted her grip on the shopping bag and glanced towards the busy park across the street. The children were playing on the various jungle gyms and play sets while the most of the parents sat on the benches and talked to each other. One person caught her eye thought. A girl was climbing the latter on the slide closely followed by her dad. Gabriella smiled as they slid down; the girl pressed safely to her father's chest. As the duo stood up Gabriella recognized the face of the little girl and quickly turned her head. _

_Troy and Violet Bolton. She should have known. He was the father every little girl dreamed of having. _

Gabriella sighed. Dreamed of having…or remembered having. Oh, how Troy could remind her of her own father; giving Violet the kind of attention that made her feel like the most important thing in the whole wide world. She could remember being taken to the park by her own father. He'd push her so high on the swings that her belly filled with butterflies and her laughter was a mix of excitement and fear.

She smiled at the memory and could almost feel that tingling sensation in her stomach. Almost the same tingling as there had been when Troy had touched her earlier.

Gabriella froze.

Where had that thought come from.

Taking a deep breath she slid further into the tub until her head was submerged under the water and let out the breath she had been holding. The bubbles traveled quickly to the surface and Gabriella sat up. Her long tresses stuck to her back and she ran a hand through them.

She needed to stop thinking about Troy, and she needed to stop it right now.

---HSM---

A week later Troy waited patiently for the bell at Santa Monica Montessori to ring. Glancing at his watch, he decided to walk up and down the corridor a few times. Apparently the clock at home was moving too fast, because he was 20 minutes early to pick up Violet. Rapid clicking of heels made him spin around and a grin spread on his face when Gabriella rounded the corner with a bounce in her step.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, raising her left arm into the air before pulling it down.

Troy chuckled.

"Good news?" he asked. Her head snapped up in obvious surprise and her cheeks immediately got a red tint to them.

"Troy…Mr. Bolton…I..."

"You got the job didn't you?"

Her face lit up and he knew he had hit the jackpot. A grin spread on his face at her response and he scratched his neck awkwardly. What was he supposed to do?

"Yeah…I…the principal just told me."

"That's great news! I knew you'd get it, they'd be crazy to let you go…I mean…the kids love you."

Gabriella smiled shyly.

"Thanks, I can't wait to tell them. Some of them looked worried when I was called up to the office."

"Well, don't let me stand in your way," Troy said with a smile. Silently noting how beautiful she looked when she was excited. If he was completely honest with himself he had given Gabriella's situation quite a lot of thought. Especially when Violet had come home worried the day the principal had visited to ask what they all thought of her beloved Ms. Montez.

She deserved the job, and he really was happy that she had gotten in. She looked at her with beaming eyes and he chuckled again.

"Go ahead, surprise them before the bell rings."

She shot him another smile before she walked towards the classroom door.

"Hey, Gabriella?" Troy called.

She spun around to face him.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks, Troy."

With that she turned the doorknob and walked into the silent classroom. The door closed behind her and Troy quickly moved towards it; curious to hear how the kids reacted. A few minutes later a loud 'Yay!!' drifted through the door and he grinned. He wasn't the only one who had taken a liking to Gabriella Montez.

**AN; **There you have it :)

Hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think! More chapters on the way :D

xxx Caroline


	6. A Little Color in Life

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks.**

**AN: **Merry Christmas Peeps! Hope you like this one :)

**Chapter 5: A Little Color in Life  
**

With a sigh, Gabriella blew her fringe out of her eyes and placed her paint roller on the plastic film that covered the floor around her. She'd told herself she wouldn't take a break until she'd covered the entire bedroom in one coat of paint, but had to admit defeat when she ran out of paint about five minutes ago. Stepping back she took a look around her room and bit back a groan. Maybe painting hadn't been the best idea after all. The room that had once been neatly organized now looked more like a warzone than a bedroom. Scared she would ruin her furniture, Gabriella had pushed it all to the centre of the room where it now stood in complete disarray.

"Genius," she muttered as she sat down on the floor to wrap her paint roller in a plastic bag so it wouldn't get ruined.

Once wrapped she wiped her hands on the ancient overalls she was wearing and stood up. If she was going to sleep in her bed tonight she needed more paint. With that thought in mind she reached for her purse and stuffed her wallet, phone and keys into it.

"Good thing I barely know anyone in LA," she mumbled as she stole a glance at herself in the mirror. Her hair was parted into two braids and she'd put on a old headscarf to protect her hair from paint. She wore an old white singled that was partly hidden under the faded, paint-stained overall and her face had faint paint marks here and there. She made a face at herself before reaching for the door. What was the point in cleaning up when she would be just as dirty in a few hours?

---HSM---

"Daddy…"

Troy glanced down at his daughter with wary eyes. She wanted something.

"Yes, Vi?"

"Can we buy ice cream?"

He chuckled.

"Sure we can peanut. Do you want to go to the beach and get some there? Then you can play a bit on the playground?" He asked as they approached a crossing.

She nodded yes before skipping over to the lamp post to press the button to get the white man.

"Whoa, hold it young lady. No crossing the street on your own."

"I just wanted to press the button daddy."

"I know, but you're not allowed to run that close to the street. If you trip and fall the cars won't be able to stop before they hit you. Always be careful when you walk close to streets with lots of traffic, ok?" Troy said sternly. There weren't many things he was strict about, but when it came to streets and cars he wouldn't budge. Ever since he witnessed his dog being run over he had been careful around cars. That had really given him a lesson about how quick things happened, and his daughter was not a loss he would ever get over.

"Yes, daddy," Violet said and looked down at the ground.

"Good. Come on sweetie, its white now, we can walk," he said and held out his hand for her to take. She looked up at him with worried eyes and smiled when she saw that he wasn't really angry with her.

Hand in hand they crossed the street and continued towards the beach.

---HSM---

There were many things Gabriella considered herself good at. Finding her way through a city with over four million inhabitants was definitely _not_ one of them. With a groan she re-read the sign that clearly said that she was walking towards Santa Monica, not a place she wanted to be while looking like a homeless person.

"I knew I took a wrong turn somewhere…" she muttered as she adjusted her grip on the paint bucket. The October sun beat down on her bare neck and she squinted her eyes against the bright light as she looked around. Over a month had passed since she'd moved into her apartment, but she still felt like a stranger in her own town.

With a sigh she turned around and started walking in the direction she had come from. The street looked somewhat familiar, but she couldn't help but feel a little lost and out of place as person after person threw odd looks in her direction.

Getting more paint had been a bad idea.

Stopping at a crossing, Gabriella felt the distinct buzzing of her phone and fished it out of her pocket.

"Hey, Shar."

"_Gabs! How's life in the city of celebs?"_

"Embarrassing."

"_Really? Elaborate please?" _

"I'm kind of…lost," Gabriella said as she crossed the road and looked for some small indication that she was on her way back home.

"_Lost? How'd you get lost?"_

"I got the brilliant idea to paint my room. To do so I needed paint, and now I can't really find my way back."

"_Hail a cab?" _

Gabriella couldn't help but smile at the obvious tone in Sharpay Evans voice.

"I probably…shit!" she exclaimed as she realized exactly who were walking towards her.

"_What?" _

"Please don't see me, please don't see me…" Gabriella muttered while walking briskly down the street.

"_Gabriella!"_ Sharpay exclaimed, making the brunette jump slightly.

"What?"

"_What's going on? Who don't you want to see you? Ooooh it's a guy isn't it? You've met someone! And you didn't tell me! Gabriella Mae Montez!" _

Gabriella rolled her eyes.

"Breathe Shar. It's one of my students…with her dad," she tentatively added.

"_So there IS a guy! Spill!"_

"They're headed towards me Shar; this is so not the right moment for the Spanish inquisition!"

"_Daddy, that's Miss Montez!" _

"Crap! I love that little girl…but I look horrible right now," Gabriella said as she stopped and turned around.

"_Have fun, and don't you dare forget to call and tell me all about your lover-boy! If you do, I WILL come over and hit you over the head." _

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, and you're just looking for an excuse to come to LA."

"_Pish posh!"_

"Whatever," Gabriella giggled. "I've got to go."

"No , no, no! Don't hang up! I want to hear this!"

"Goodbye Sharpay," Gabriella said sternly and flipped her phone shut.

---HSM---

Troy could feel his heartbeat speed up as Violet dragged him towards her favorite teacher. In the month that Violet had been going to school, there had hardly been a day where she hadn't mentioned something about Miss Montez, and Troy could easily see why. He had never seen someone care so much about the children they were teaching. What he didn't understand was his reaction to her. She was beautiful, that he wouldn't deny. Her small frame looked fragile, and her tan skin and dark features made her look angelic, but he highly doubted that that alone was what caused butterflies to erupt in his stomach.

She was Violet's teacher, that alone made her off limits, but it was like she was magnetic. She was the one he asked about how Violet was doing in school, and after every dance lesson he found himself talking to her longer than any of the other parents did.

The connection with her was something he couldn't explain, it was something he himself didn't understand. The feelings that seemed to bubble under the surface made him feel like he was still in high school, not the father of a five year old little girl.

"Whatever, I've got to go…Goodbye, Sharpay!" She said and flipped her phone shut before dropping it into her pocket.

"Hi, Miss Montez!" Violet exclaimed and she dropped Troy's hand. Her feet hit the pavement at a steady rhythm as she ran towards the young woman in front of her.

"Hey, sweetie!" Gabriella said as she bent down to give the girl a hug.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Violet…it's rude to be nosy."

"Sorry…"

Gabriella giggled.

"Hello, Mr. Bolton," she said and tried to fight of the blush she could feel rising. Why was it that he could make her blush without even talking to her?

"Hey, you can call me Troy you know? No need to be so formal," he smiled.

"Are you getting ice cream as well?" Violet asked as Troy grabbed her hand. The effect Gabriella seemed to have on his daughter astounded him. Around her, Violet crawled out of her shell. The shy little girl disappeared, and in her place was a happy, outgoing child that people outside his family rarely got to see.

"No, I was actually on my way home. I went to buy some paint," Gabriella said and lifted up the bucket she was still holding on to.

"Are you painting a picture?"

"No, I'm painting my room. It was all white, so I wanted to give it some color."

"You gave yourself a little color as well," Troy chuckled.

"What?"

"Your nose. It's yellow." His arm reached out and tapped the yellow spot before he could stop it. "Right there…" he added as a blush tinted her cheeks. Feeling rather awkward himself, he scratched his neck and looked down at the ground. Why had he done that?

"Uhm…yeah…the paint brush sort of attacked me earlier," she said and bit her lip.

"Did it come alive? Like the ones in _My Little Pony_?" Violet asked with wide eyes, making Gabriella giggle.

"No, sweetie, paint brushes can't really come alive."

"Then how did it attack you?"

"I just dropped it honey."

"On your face?"

"Yep, right on my face. "

"That was not very smart," Violet stated.

Gabriella laughed.

"No it wasn't."

"Now Violet, I'm sure Miss Montez needs to head home, and if we're going to have ice cream we have to get it now so it doesn't spoil your dinner."

"Can Miss Montez come with us?" Violet asked and looked up at her dad with pleading eyes. Troy bit back a groan; she was definitely not making it easier to keep his relationship with Gabriella completely platonic.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but I have so much to do today. If I don't finish painting today I'll have to sleep on the couch…and that's not very comfortable."

"I sleep on the couch sometimes."

"You do? Doesn't daddy carry you to your bed?"

"Yes…but cant your daddy carry you to your bed?"

The words had barely left her mouth before both Troy and Gabriella had to choke back laughter.

"No, Honey. You see, I don't live with my mommy and daddy anymore."

"You live all alone?"

"I do."

"Isn't that scary?"

"Violet…that's enough. Save some questions for later," Troy said and gave Gabriella an apologetic look.

"It's ok," Gabriella said. "And no, sweets, it's not scary."

"You're brave."

Gabriella giggled and reached up to tuck her fringe back into place. Just as she lowered her hand she felt her phone vibrate and milliseconds later the familiar tune of _Aqua's Barbie Girl_ started playing.

"Excuse me," she said and fished the phone up.

"Shar…"

"_Gabriella Mae Montez! You hung up on me!"_ Sharpay screeched, making Gabriella jump.

"Jeez, Sharpay, just…hold on a sec ok?" she said and covered the mouthpiece as she turned towards Troy. "I'm really sorry, but I've got to take this call."

"That's ok, we've got to get going anyways," Troy said and grabbed Violet's hand.

"But daddy…"

"No buts, Peanut. Gabriella has to take this call, and we really have to go if you want that ice cream."

"Fine…"

"I'll see you in school, Violet. Make daddy get you an extra large ice cream."

Violet's face lit up and she grinned.

"I will! Bye Miss Montez."

"Bye sweetie, bye Troy."

"Bye."

Gabriella watched as they made their way down the street and rounded the corner. She really wished she knew what exactly it was about Troy Bolton that made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

"_Gabriella…"_

"I'm here."

"_Good, now get your lovesick butt into a cab and tell me what happened!"_

---HSM---

Later that day Troy found himself gazing out of the living room window as the sun sank into the ocean below. The sky seemed to burn with an intense pink and yellow glow, and before he could stop his mind from wandering, his thoughts turned to her. Maybe she was still painting, or perhaps she was watching the same sunset as he was.

Gabriella Mae Montez.

The name rolled easily off his tongue. It was as if it belonged there.

Rubbing the back of his neck he turned his back to the sunset and walked towards the couch. Ever since meeting her in town Violet hadn't stop talking about her, something that made it extremely hard for him to keep his mind off the woman who seemed to occupy his thoughts more often than she should.

Glancing to his right, his eyes made contact with the framed picture of Jennifer Brown. She was smiling at him as she held a pink bodysuit over her swollen stomach.

She had been so excited to meet her baby-girl, and it pained him that she never got the chance to do just that. Violet had been rushed away after the birth, and when she was stable enough for visitors…Jennifer had been gone.

Troy sighed a sat down on the coffee table. In the five years that had passed going on a date had been out of the question. It just didn't feel right. That was until he had met Gabriella.

The attraction between them was something he couldn't deny, neither were the sparks that seemed to fly whenever he had touched her. His finger had been tingling after he had gently tapped her nose; the idea of touching her elsewhere made him shudder and caused goose bumps to appear on his arms.

Life suddenly seemed to have gotten much more interesting, complicated, but interesting.

"Daddy? Hamtaro and Snoozer say they want chocolate. Do we have any?" Violet asked as she entered the living room.

"Why are you sitting on the table daddy?"

"Good question, Peanut. As for the chocolate, you have to go check the fridge, but remember they can't have regular chocolate, only the one with the hamster on the box," he said and smiled. When Violet had first asked for a hamster he had been apprehensive, but after weeks of begging he had given in and gotten her two miniature hamsters. He knew that a lot of the responsibility was his as she was only five, but after seeing the joy Snoozer and Hamtaro (affectionately named after her favorite TV-show) gave her, he hadn't regretted the decision once.

"I can't reach it daddy!"

"I'll come help you, Vi," Troy said and stood up. The kitchen and living room were located on opposite sides of the hallway, but it only took Troy mere seconds to reach the kitchen and dining room that were parted by a breakfast bar. As he made his way towards the entryway he took in the sight of his daughter standing on her tiptoes as she tried to reach one of the higher shelves.

"I think we need to move those chocolates a bit further down don't you?" he asked.

Violet turned around and nodded furiously.

"Yep, 'cause I can't reach them all the way up there," she said and watched as her dad stretched out his hand and grabbed the purple box.

"There you go. Now remember what the man at the pet-store said, only one piece for each of them."

"I remember daddy," she said and reached into the box. "See? Only two."

"Good girl."

"Can I eat that chocolate too?"

"No, that's only for the hamsters. I don't know what they are made of, now hurry up before they melt in your hand."

"Oh!" She exclaimed and turned on her heel before running out of the kitchen, leaving a grinning Troy behind.

---HSM---

It was late when Gabriella finally collapsed on her bed. The room still smelled like paint and she had opened the bedroom window as far as it would go in an attempt to get rid of the horrid smell. The painting job had been finished without any major disasters, and she still blamed the most traumatic part of the day on Sharpay.

After finally hailing down a cab, Sharpay had demanded a play by play of her encounter with Troy, and had informed her that '_They would totally get married_ _and have lots of beautiful babies!' _Gabriella's reaction to that comment had been to simply roll her eyes as she told her friend that she was getting a bit ahead of herself. As dramatic as Sharpay could be, she was right about one thing though; she did like Troy. She liked him more than she wanted to, and she really didn't know how to handle that fact. Gabriella was no stranger to boyfriends, but it had been a while since she last time she had been on a date with the same person more than a couple of times. Maybe she was being difficult, or close minded, but to her it just seemed like a waste of time to continue seeing someone you felt absolutely no connection with.

Someone she _did _feel a connection with, though; was Troy. They rarely spoke more than a couple of times a week, usually at school or in the changing area at the dance studio, but even in those settings he could make butterflies erupt in her stomach and a faint pink color to tint her cheeks.

She'd been given no specific rule saying she couldn't date a parent, but she knew that most schools didn't want a child to be taught by someone they were close to outside school.

With a sigh she crawled under the covers and pulled the elastic out of her hair. She combed through the long tresses with her fingers before flopping down on the pillow. A cool breeze blew through the window and she cuddled deeper into her duvet as she watched her curtains dance.

In her head it was as if a voice kept whispering to her that this was only the beginning, and as she lay there, in the middle of her queen sized bed, she suddenly found herself wishing she wasn't lying there alone.

Groaning she pulled her duvet over her head and closed her eyes, hoping that there would be no more fantasies involving Troy that night.

If only she knew what sleep had in store for her.

**---hsm---**

**AN: **There ya have it :) Please let me know what you thought.

Xxx Caroline


	7. A Night to Remember

**_"_****_Dare to Dream"_**

**_"Dare to Dream"_**** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**AN: **Right this is probably the chapter i've been most nervous about posting. so please please please tell me what you think!!

Thanks to my awesome friend Mya for helping me once again!

---HSM---

**Chapter 6: A Night to Remember**

_A feather light touch danced across Troy's stomach, leaving a burning trail behind. The sensation was unfamiliar, but definitely not unwelcome. Fighting his tired lids, Troy reached out to grab the hand that was currently tracing patterns around his belly button. _

_"What are you doing?" he whispered._

_"Waking you up…" Came her quiet reply. _

_Troy let out a groggy chuckle and forced his eyes open. The sun had found its way through his thin blinds and cast the room in a pleasant, dull light. _

_Next to him Gabriella rested her head in the palm of one hand as she looked down at him. _

_"What?" he asked._

_"Nothing…you're cute when you sleep."_

_Troy wrinkled his nose as he reached up to place a stray curl behind her ear. _

_"I'll let you get away with that just because it's too early to come up with a comeback."_

_"You'd prefer it if I found you ugly?" she asked with a smirk. Rolling his eyes he knocked her arm out from under her head, making her fall back onto her back. _

_"Hey!" she exclaimed as he rose up and hovered right above her, their bodies nearly touching. _

_"I'd prefer it if you found me sexy," he whispered in her ear before gently nibbling on her earlobe. The moan escaped from her mouth before she could even try to stop it. _

_"Troy…" _

_"Hmm…"_

_"It's not nice…oh…to tease."_

_"Who said I was teasing?" _

_His lips ghosted down her neck and Gabriella lost all ability to fight against whatever destination his lips had in mind. As they found a particularly sensitive spot, her back arched and her hands trailed down his bare back. Troy didn't know what he loved most, the feeling of her below him, or the way her hands moved further south for each kiss he placed on her skin. Finding her soft lips, he let one hand run gently up the side of her body till it hit the underside of her bare breast. Teasing the soft curve, he could feel her body moving under his, and as she pulled him even closer to herself, he broke away from their kiss and let out the groan that had been building up in his throat. _

_Heat was radiating from her core and he felt his control slipping with every second that went by. He wanted to touch her everywhere at once, wanted her hands everywhere on him at the same time. Latching onto her lips once more, he slipped one hand between them, and gently started to stroke her wet folds. With every moan he swallowed, he felt himself harden more, and when her small, warm hand wrapped around him, he couldn't hold back his groans. Gabriella's pace was slow, teasing, torturing…arousing. Quickly, he slipped two of his own fingers into her scorching cavern, and she cried out, her hand stopping its movements instantly. As his fingers slipped in and out in a steady rhythm, Troy kissed his way down her neck and over her breast before taking her erect nipple between his lips. _

_Her back arched in response, trapping his arm between their naked torsos. As his hand stilled within her, she wiggled beneath him, desperately searching for friction. _

_"Troy…now…" she breathed out and wrapped her hand around him once again before she gently tugged. Troy gritted his teeth at the sensation and swiftly pulled his fingers out of her. She whimpered at the loss of contact and used the hand that was resting on his back to pull him closer. He altered his position slightly and suddenly felt her moist folds around the head of his penis. The sensation overwhelmed him and he buried his face in her neck, kissing his way towards her face as he kept his lower body perfectly still. _

_Gabriella's breathing came out in shallow gasps as she waited impatiently for him to move. He knew he couldn't hold back much longer, and when she suddenly tilted her hips upwards…_

Troy shot up in bed.

A thin sheet of sweat covered every inch of him, and a certain part of his body was throbbing. Groaning, he fell back amongst his pillows and covered his face with his hands. The moment his eyes closed, the picture of a naked Gabriella swirled around in his mind and his body reacted thereafter. Deciding that staying in bed was definitely not the way to get rid of his fantasy; Troy got up and padded tiredly to the bathroom. He needed a shower; a very cold shower.

---HSM---

As October came and went, Gabriella was starting to feel more at home in her new town. The apartment that had once felt foreign and cold was now filled with colorful items and memorabilia. Pictures of friends and family adorned her walls and plants and flowers were spread throughout the small apartment.

Picking up a pile of notebooks she walked over to the desk she had set up in the corner of the living room. At the beginning of the year she had aired an idea with the other teachers, and after been given the thumbs up she had told the kids that they would be making a book about themselves. The first assignment had been to place two pictures of themselves in the book, as well as filling in a little information sheet.

How much they weighed when they were born.

What hair color they had.

What time of the day.

What eye color.

What the weather was like.

Gabriella had had a blast looking through the books and comparing each of the children to their baby pictures. Some had surprised her; others made her giggle, and one really touched her. Under the picture of herself as tiny tiny baby, five year old Violet had written; I WAS A PREEMIE BABY. In the bottom corner of the page, a much neater string of words informed her that the picture had been taken when Violet was six weeks old. There were no tubes in sight in the picture, but she had such a tiny look about her that Gabriella couldn't help the lump that formed in her throat.

Birth weight: 1500 g / 3.3 lbs

Shaking her head Gabriella reached for the first book in her pile and gently opened the front page. She was curious to see what the children had made of her newest assignment.

_Write down a funny thing you or someone in your family has done_.

The first book belonged to Hannah. Being eight years old her spelling and vocabulary was much bigger than that of the little ones, and it was always a joy to read the stories the children came up with. Reaching for a multicolored pencil Gabriella started reading about how Hannah's dad had tried to make her a birthday cake, but as he had been carrying it out to the table he'd tripped and sent the cake flying straight into the wall.

Gabriella giggled as she wrote a little message at the bottom of the page and underlined the words she had spelled wrong with the rainbow colored pencil.

One down, twenty-nine to go.

Two hours later she had learned that Nora's older brother had stolen her Snow White costume and actually tried it on. Connor's dog had eaten his button collection and then pooped buttons for a week. Hayley had disappeared at the mall only to be found sleeping in the toy stores display window where she was cuddling a giant toy tiger, and according to Violet; Troy had singlehandedly managed to put his Christmas stocking on fire before he got as far as opening it.

Laughing to herself, Gabriella closed the book and stood up from her desk. She had exactly three hours before she had to be at the studio, and the list of things she had to do couldn't possibly be any longer. Her laundry basket was overflowing and her bathroom screamed for some attention with a washcloth. In addition she had to get herself something to eat, put on fresh sheets on her bed and vacuum the hall. How all that sand had found its way into her 3rd floor apartment she really wasn't sure, but she was extremely sure of the fact that I had to go. Preferably right now.

---HSM---

Sighing, she folded the last shirt in the laundry basket and closed her closet door. Over the past month she had continued to grow closer with Troy. After realizing that she did in fact have a crush on him, she'd tried to distance herself a little, a task that had proved to be harder than she thought. It was as if Troy was magnetic and she was made of metal. No matter what she did they always ended up talking, so after a while she had simply given up. The conversations that had once been short exchanges of words had quickly grown in length, and more often than not, she found herself walking out of the studio holding Violet's hand and talking to Troy. However, their relationship, if you could call it that, had never gone further than that. It had never stretched further than the sidewalk outside the studio. Until now.

She had agreed to babysit Violet before dance class started. It wasn't something she would have done for anybody, it was something she would do for a friend, and as she closed the door behind her, she realized that maybe it was time she accepted that no matter what she thought was right, Troy was her friend, and if she was completely honest with herself…she didn't want it any other way.

---HSM---

"Ok my little snowflakes; are you ready to practice our dance for the Christmas recital?" Gabriella asked as she turned around to face her students.

"Yes!"

"Great! Your tutu's are in the corner by the door. Can you each go and get one? If it doesn't fit bring it over here and I'll adjust the elastics around your waist."

The little girls quickly scrambled towards the small pile of tutu's, eager to put them on and look like real ballerinas. Smiling, Gabriella stood back and watched them. In the short period she had been their teacher they had improved so much. By now they all knew where to put their feet when she asked them to stand in a certain position and they remembered to point their toes and keep their backs straight. Each and every one had practiced their splits hard and over half of the girls could now successfully slide down into a complete split.

"Gabriella?"

The sweet voice pulled Gabriella out of her thoughts and she looked down to find Violet standing in front of her.

"Yes, honey?"

"My skirt falled down."

"Fell. Don't worry, I'll fix it. Can you turn around for me? Good girl." Flipping down the waistline of the skirt Gabriella found the elastic band and gently pulled it tighter.

"Is that ok, Violet?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then I'll tie a knot there so it doesn't fall down when you're dancing."

Violet smiled and skipped towards the other girls. It was amazing how much her confidence had grown in the studio. She was a good dancer, and once she realized that she actually mastered it better than some of the other girls it was as if she grew more confident. She was no longer as shy as she had been, and she had made friends with several of the girls.

"Do you all remember who your buddy is?"

"Yeah."

"Good, that's very good. If you can pair up we'll go through the dance once before we do a little stretching. Remember I gave you numbers? Do you still remember them?" a series of nods answered her. "Good. Can pair one please come here?"

Pair by pair Gabriella lined them up in a long line before skipping ahead of them onto the 'stage' in front of the mirrors. The dance recital was something most of the children took very serious and they did their very best to copy the steps Gabriella had tried to teach them.

As the song came to an end the group of snowflakes twirled towards the centre of the room where they stopped and did a little curtsey before running off the 'stage'.

"That was so good you guys! You keep getting better better! We only have a little time for stretching today, so hurry up and pick a spot on the floor. We're going to try and catch our toes first, and then do both the boy and girl split. Ready? Catch those toes. Good job Maria! Do you think you can give your knee a kiss as well? Keep practicing one day soon you can kiss those knees. Very well done! You're nearly there Lottie, good job! Straighten those legs Maddy, there you go!" Gabriella praised the girls as they continued doing the exercises she had set them to do.

"That's it little ladies. Its seven o'clock and that means that class is over. Can you please put your tutus in the corner again? Next week I promise I'll have your snowflake leotards as well. Have a great week and I'll see you next Thursday! Great job today, all of you!"

As the girls went to greet their parents, Gabriella walked over to the CD player and collected her things. After checking that she did indeed have all her papers and CD's, she went to put the white tutus in the bag she had brought them in.

"G-Ghab-rie-hella…"

Gabriella spun around to find a crying Violet behind her.

"Sweetheart what's the matter?" she asked as she sat down and opened her arms for the sad girl. Violet fell into them and rested her head on Gabriella's shoulder.

"Da-haddy didn't come…"

"Oh, honey, he'll be here. Don't you worry. I'll wait with you until he shows up. He's probably just a little late."

"Wha-hat if he don't come?"

"He'll come, sweetie," Gabriella said and stood up with Violet in her arms. Shifting her slightly onto her hip, she bent down and grabbed the straps of her bag. "Let's go wait for daddy in the hallway ok?"

"Ok…"

---HSM---

Troy hadn't meant to be late. He had done everything as quickly as he could, but it still wasn't quick enough, and now he was over 30 minutes late to pick up Violet. Slamming the car door shut behind him he just hoped that Gabriella wasn't upset with him for being late.

The studio was still bustling with life as he approached the front door with hurried steps. Throwing the door open he took a sharp turn left and continued down the hallway.

"Are you tired sweetie?" Gabriella's sweet voice asked.

"Uhu…a little."

"Close your eyes honey, I'll wake you when daddy gets here."

Troy stopped dead in his tracks at the scene in front of him. Gabriella sat on one of the benches with a curled up Violet on her lap, rocking her slightly from side to side. His little girl looked peaceful as she rested her head against Gabriella's chest.

Neither of them had realized that he was standing there, and Troy watched in amazement when Gabriella opened her mouth and started to sing quietly.

Baby mine, don't you cry  
Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part, baby of mine.

His heart tightened at the sight, and when Gabriella lifted her eyes and looked straight into his he didn't know what to feel anymore.

Little one when you play  
Don't you mind what they say  
Let those eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear, baby of mine.

She sang the words with such pureness that he doubted an outsider would have realized she wasn't Violet's mother, and in that moment, he couldn't help but wish that she was.

"Hey…" Gabriella whispered.

"Hey…"

"She was sleepy…It won't mess with her routines, will it?"

"It'll be fine," Troy said as he approached them with quiet steps.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get here on time."

"It's fine. Violet was a bit upset though."

"I can imagine..."

An awkward silence engulfed them and Troy scratched his neck, not knowing what to say or do.

"I should get going," Gabriella said. "I don't like walking home any later than this."

Troy shook his head.

"I'll drive you. You're not walking home alone at this time."

"Troy…I always walk home after class."

"I know, but it's past eight now…I'm not letting you walk home, that's final." He said. He had never liked that she had to walk home in the dark and he'd offered to drive her home more than once.

"Ok," she said with a smile. Secretly happy she didn't have to venture out in the dark on her own.

"I'll take Violet; you go get your things."

Gabriella nodded and handed the sleeping girl over to her father.

Ten minutes later the trio made their way outside when Troy's stomach suddenly rumbled.

"Hungry?" Gabriella giggled.

"Maybe a little bit…" he said as he bent down to strap Violet in her car seat. Standing up he closed the door quietly behind him before facing the beautiful woman who stood leaning against his car. "Feel like a snack at McDonalds?" he asked.

Gabriella bit down gently on her lower lip as she looked into his eyes. It was time she just went with the flow.

"Sure, why not."

"Great, jump in."

She did as she was told and quickly pulled on her seatbelt as she relaxed against the back of the seat with closed eyes.

"You don't seem at all worried that I'll kidnap you or something," Troy said amused when he noticed the content look on her face.

"Not really, no…should I be?"

"I wouldn't think so."

"That's good then," she said with a grin. Troy chuckled and started the car.

"So are you a salad girl, or a burger girl?"

"Definitely a burger girl. I love a good salad, but most of the time I just eat what I crave. And hey; burgers have salad on them."

"You make a very good point," he agreed and she sent him a proud smile. There was no denying it. The girl was gorgeous, and there was nothing Troy wanted more than to be able to spend a little more time with her. Silently thanking his stomach for its timing, he took a right turn and continued towards the closest McDonalds drive thru.

Twenty minutes later Troy had parked the car in a free parking space outside Gabriella's apartment building where the two of them were enjoying their late dinner.

"How can you still eat?" Gabriella asked as Troy took another big bite of his burger.

"I'm hungry," he replied, mouth full of food.

"Attractive, Troy…" she said, voice laced with sarcasm. He swallowed and took a sip of his soda.

"Says the girl who nearly sprayed me with milkshake."

"You made me laugh!"

"I didn't mean to!"

"Doesn't matter. You still did."

"You're just embarrassed and need someone to blame."

"Am not!" she exclaimed.

Troy chuckled.

"Sure you aren't…want a fry?"

"Subtle change of subject," she giggled. "And yes, I would like a fry."

"Help yourself," he said and placed the box between their seats. Smiling she picked up a few fries and stuffed them in her mouth.

"Oh! That's salty. How much did you put on those?" she asked and reached for her nearly empty milkshake. Troy shrugged. "I like salt." She shook her head and snapped up another fry.

"I thought you found them too salty?"

"They're kind of good once you get used to them." He chuckled and grabbed a few for himself.

"Oh god! These _are_ salty!" he exclaimed and turned to snatch her drink.

"Hey! That's mine!"

"That's awfully sweet," Troy said with a wrinkle on his nose after swallowing the cool liquid.

"Serves you right for taking my shake," she pouted, but was unable to hide the amusement that was dancing in her eyes.

Troy rolled his eyes and threw a fry at her.

"Ah! You did not just do that!" she exclaimed.

"I think I did."

"I…I….I…." she stammered, trying to think of something she could throw back at him.

"You what?" he asked chuckling.

"I don't know," she sighed in defeat.

"Ah, you're adorable." The endearment slipped from his mouth before he had any chance to stop it. Shocked at his own admission he carefully turned to look at her reaction. Gabriella's hand was frozen in mid air as the meaning of the word registered in her brain. He'd just called her adorable. She had been aware of their ongoing flirting, she'd have to be blind not to, but the phrase that had just escaped his mouth had surprised her.

Biting her bottom lip, she tried to force back the blush that was slowly spreading, and turned to look at him.

"Thanks?" she asked tentatively.

"I didn't…you know what?"

"What?"

"I did mean it…so I'm not going to pretend I didn't." A blush definitely tinted her cheeks now. "And while I'm at it…you're also quite beautiful when you smile."

Gabriella sat there stunned. She couldn't remember the last time someone had just came out and told her something like that. Her eyes bore into his, and she desperately hoped that he saw how much his statement meant to her.

"I…don't know what to say," she finally managed to whisper. The atmosphere in the car had gone from fun and flirty to deadly serious in a matter of seconds and for the first time in a long time, Gabriella really didn't know what to do with herself.

"I totally screwed everything up didn't I?" Gabriella shook her head.

"No you didn't." A stray curl fell in front of her eyes at the movement and Troy slowly reached out to brush it behind her ear.

"I'd walk you to your door, but I have a sleeping five year old in the back…" he almost whispered; scared that if he spoke out loud the spell that seemed to surround them would be broken.

"That's ok…Paul is standing right over there."

"Paul?" Troy asked.

"The doorman."

"Oh right"

"I should go," she said, but put no effort into doing so. "Yeah." He leaned in closer.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Her breath tickled his chin.

"Bright and early." Their noses touched. "Bright and early."

Her eyes closed.

"Good night." And his lips pressed against her cheek softly.

"Good night, Ella." Opening her eyes slowly, she looked straight into his blue orbs and gave him a small, affectionate smile. She wasn't totally sure what had just happened there, but as she straightened her back and opened the car door, there wasn't a single thing she regretted about the night. Throwing him one last glance and smile, she stepped out of the car and into the evening dark, hoping that come tomorrow he wouldn't regret anything either.

**AN; **and there you have it :) What did you think?

xxx Caroline xxx


	8. Protective

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon _High School Musical,_ copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and _High School Musical 2_, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks.**

**AN; **Sorry for the wait guys!! Hopefully this super long chapter will make up for it! As always thanks to everyone who's given me a helping hand! Hope you all like it!

xxx

**Chapter 7: Protective  
**

It was extremely rare for Troy Bolton to be up before the sun. After being a single dad for five years he had learned to stay in bed for as long his daughter allowed him to in order to function fully each and every day. These past few days had been different though. Gabriella Montez had invaded his head, and night after night he woke up feeling like he was about to burst.

The almost kiss in the car had done absolutely nothing to help the situation, and he was starting to think that unless something happened between them he was going to go crazy. Sighing he buried his head in the pillows and forced his eyes to close. Five AM was far too early to be awake, no matter how frustrated his dream had left him feeling.

In his dark room there was nothing to remind him of her, yet he saw her everywhere. Whenever his eyes closed she would appear before his eyes, her beautiful smile beaming back at him. He groaned. This had got to stop.

"Daddy...there's a monster in my closet and I don't think its Sully or Mike Wazowski."

Troy couldn't help but chuckle at the worried voice that came from his open door. "Come here, Peanut. There's room in daddy's bed." Violets small feet padded across the room before she proceeded to climb onto the big bed. Her tiny body crawled across the mattress until it came in contact with Troy's chest.

With a content sigh she settled under the duvet and cuddled close. "I love you, daddy."

"I love you too, honey. So very much," he said and pulled her close, all thoughts of Gabriella pushed aside for at least a little while.

---HSM---

Gabriella loved kids. She loved watching them play and learn. Sometimes their scenarios were completely wacky and strange, but what fascinated her was how they were able to put themselves into the world they had created. Through role playing their confidence grew, and she firmly believed that the few actors that made it big were those who never let go of that gift; the gift to completely leave the real world and enter another. A world where they weren't afraid to show passion and emotion because right in that moment…that was their reality.

A loud shriek pulled Gabriella out of her thoughts.

Painful shrieks were_ not _something she loved.

"She's bleeding!"

"Someone get a teacher!"

"That's a lot of blood!"

Gabriella's stomach clenched.

Someone was hurt.

Taking a deep breath she started running towards the jungle gym. She could already see the small crowd that was starting to form around whoever was on the ground crying, and she could feel her heart beat speed up. It was obvious that whoever was hurt was one of the youngest ones, and she found herself silently praying that it wasn't who she thought it was.

"Miss Montez is coming!"

"Move it Eliza! She needs to get through!"

"Ugh! Don't push me! I'll let her through. Violet wants her."

Gabriella stopped dead in her tracks. She knew very well that favoritism should be avoided at all costs, but she couldn't help it. Violet had crawled into her heart, and she neither knew how, nor wanted to change that fact.

As she moved closer, Gabriella could hear the little girls' sobs and coughs, and felt her heart breaking. She had never been the one to deal with injuries before, but right at that moment she didn't care about the blood or the consequences of the injury, she just wanted to make her little angels painful and scared cries subside. She gently pushed through the growing crowd before crouching down next to Violet.

"Hey sweetheart," she said and ran a finger over the girls cheek. Blood was still running from her mouth and lip, and her white knitted sweater was stained red. Violet didn't utter a word, just reached out her arms as she continued crying. Within a few seconds Gabriella had her on her hip and walked towards the main building.

"It's ok honey. Everything's going to be ok."

"Daddy…" Violet chocked out.

"I'll call daddy, daddy will be here. I know it hurts, but it's going to be ok. I won't leave till Troy's here. I promise," Gabriella said and placed a soft kiss on Violet's temple before opening the door to the school building. Multiple heads turned as they made their way down the corridors. Gabriella knew her top was bloody as well, but she couldn't care less. Violet was far more important than silly top.

"Goodness! What happened?" Mrs. Danes, the school nurse, exclaimed when Gabriella stepped into her office.

"As far as I know, she fell from the jungle gym," Gabriella said as she gently placed Violet down on the bed by the window. Sitting down next to her, she picked up the little girls hand and cradled it between her own.

"Oh my, let's take a look a look at you honey," Mrs. Danes said and stood up to get a clean, wet cloth for Violet's mouth. As she sat back down, the older lady gently folded the cloth and wiped away some of the blood from Violet's chin.

"I'm going to need you to open your mouth so I can see where the blood is coming from ok, honey?"

Violet looked up at Gabriella with worried eyes, but did as she was told.

Mrs. Danes carefully pressed the cloth on the visible cut while lifting Violet's upper lip slightly. The little girl let out a small scream, but stayed still.

Gabriella stroked the small hand with her thumb while watching the school nurse do her job.

"Miss Montez I think we need to get this one to the hospital."

"What?" Gabriella's heart pounded in her chest as she let her eyes glance down at Violet.

"The cut on her lip is gaping too much for my liking; she's also knocked out her two front teeth and will need an ex-ray to determine if there's anything left of her teeth. Now, Violet; I know it hurts honey, but you have to hold this cloth to where your teeth fell out. Can you do that?"

"Uhu…"

"There's a good, brave girl."

"Do you need me to call her dad?" Gabriella asked, suddenly remembering that Troy still didn't know what was going on. Mrs. Danes nodded. "That would be great; I'll call the hospital and make arrangements. If you hang on for just one moment I will get you the phone list."

Gabriella blushed.

"Uhm, Mrs. Danes?"

"Yes?"

"You don't really need to do that. I've got his number on my cell. I guess you could say we're friends." Mrs. Danes shot her a small smile.

"If you don't want that to be public knowledge the secret's safe with me."

"I'd like that," Gabriella said.

"That's settled then. I'll go call the hospital," she said and walked out the door.

"It hurts…" Violet cried and reached out her left hand. Her wrist was swollen and Gabriella had a nagging feeling that she knew what was wrong with it.

"I know, sweetheart. We're going to make the pain go away," Gabriella simply said and pulled frightened girl onto her lap.

With a shaking hand she pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled down her phone list until she found Troy's number. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and pressed call. It rang several times before the now familiar voice floated through the earpiece.

"_Gabriella?"_ His voice sounded confused and she didn't blame him one bit.

"Hi, Troy…" she started.

"_I hear crying…why do I hear crying?"_ the confusion turned into worry in a heartbeat.

"Because I'm about to take Violet to the hospital?" she asked tentatively and bit down on her lower lip.

"_WHAT!? Is she ok? What happened? Gabriella talk to me! Is she alright?"_ Troy's worried voice floated into her ear and she sighed quietly. This was not a fun thing to do.

"She's…ok-ish…I guess."

"_What the heck does that mean?"_

"That she's sitting on my lap with a cloth pressed to her split lip, trying to get used to the fact that her two front teeth are now missing."

"_Oh my god…Gabriella what happed?"_

"She fell from the jungle gym. That's all I know," Gabriella said and kissed Violet on the top of her head.

"_God…"_ Troy sighed. _"Is she hurt any other places?"_

"Her wrist is swollen, she just showed me that. The school nurse is calling the hospital right now, she wants a doctor to take a look at her cut and where she knocked out her teeth, and I'm guessing her wrist is going to be an issue, although I don't know if that's sprained or broken," she spoke quickly, trying to hide her own worry from Troy.

"_She must be terrified…"_ he breathed out.

"Can you come meet us? I'm going with her to the hospital, but she wants you."

Silence

"Troy? Are you there?"

"_I'm in Salinas, Ella…" _

"Oh…" she was taken aback. That was not the reply she had expected.

"Do you need me to call someone…"

"_No…I'll call my parents, they're watching her tonight…just…" _he trailed off.

"Just what?" Gabriella asked softly.

"_Just…take care of her?"_ The anxious plea made a lump form in her throat.

"I promise…I've got to go Troy. Mrs. Danes just came back in. I'll call you when I get to the hospital ok? They probably need your consent before they do anything."

"_Thank you…I'll be there as soon as I can. I just have to cancel some meetings and I'll be on my way." _

"Ok. I'll see you later. Bye."

"_Bye."_

Gabriella snapped her phone shut and looked up at Mrs. Danes.

"Her dad's out of town, but he's on his way back."

"Ok, I assume you're going with her?"

"I'm not leaving her side," Gabriella said firmly.

"Ok. I talked to the hospital; they're not sending an ambulance as it's not an emergency; but I called up a cab to take you down to Mattel Children's Hospital."

"I want daddy..."

"Oh, Sweetheart," Gabriella said and held the little girl tight against her chest. "Daddy will come, but he's all the way up in Salinas. I'll stay with you all the time. Will that be ok?"

"But I want daddy," she cried. Feeling helpless, Gabriella did the only thing she could and gently rocked the crying child as she comforted her with sweet words. She could only begin to imagine the pain Violet was in, and how scary this all seemed to her, especially when Troy couldn't be with her.

The bleeding seemed to have slowed down both from her lip and gums by the time the taxi arrived, and Gabriella was thankful for the fact that the driver was a calm elderly man who didn't seem too worried about possible stains in his car. As they drove towards the hospital Gabriella grew more and more worried about the swelling of Violet's wrist. It seemed to have doubled in size in the past 15 minutes, and her whimpers and cries had gradually gotten worse. Never in her life had she felt more helpless. There was nothing she could do to take the pain away, she could only sit there and offer a lap to sit on and a loving embrace.

"We're here Miss," the taxi driver said as the car came to a halt in front of the emergency room entrance.

"Thank you," Gabriella said and handed a twenty dollar bill to the man. "Come on, sweetie, it's time for the doctor to take a look at you. "

"I don't want him to…it hurts," Violet said, but stepped out of the car anyways.

"He will make it all better, honey, and you're being such a brave girl, I'm so proud of you."

"Carry me?"

Smiling Gabriella bent down and picked her up. For a five year old, Violet was fairly light and Gabriella carried her with ease towards the main door.

Once inside the hospital, the duo made their way towards the main desk where an elderly nurse was seated.

"May I help you with anything?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm here with Violet Bolton, the nurse at Santa Monica Montessori called down here about fifteen minutes ago?"

The nurse nodded her head and motioned for Gabriella to follow her.

"I understand that you're not her mother?" she asked.

Gabriella was a little taken aback at the nurses' tone, but answered nonetheless.

"No I'm not, I'm her teacher. Her dad's on his way, but he's currently out of town."

"Hmfp."

"I'm sorry?" Gabriella's blood was boiling. That sound was definitely a condescending one, and if there was one thing she hated, it was when people patronized her friends without having even met them.

"Nothing, nothing…it's just through here."

"No. That was definitely something."

The nurse sighed.

"I just believe that if you have a child, then you should put them before your work. They need their parents."

The comment made Gabriella's eyes shoot daggers towards the woman.

"Well, I'll tell you what. Not all families fit in that perfect square little box full of rules! Sometimes unexpected things happen that force you to re-route all your plans in order to care for a child singlehandedly. And I know for a fact that Troy Bolton does everything within his powers to provide for his little girl, and don't you dare tell me otherwise!" With that she pushed passed the stunned nurse and walked into the examination room.

Taking a deep breath Gabriella forced herself to calm down. She hadn't meant to blow up like that, especially not in front of Violet, but the words had slipped out of her mouth before she even registered what she was about to say.

"Are you angry?" Violet asked quietly.

"No, sweetie; I just didn't like what the nurse said about your daddy. I'm not angry."

"Ok," Violet mumbled as she rested her head on Gabriella's shoulder. Gabriella smiled and gave her a kiss on the head. The tears had almost stopped, but the uneven gasps for breath were a tell tale sign of Violet's distress.

"Hey there cutie, so you're the little lady I've heard rumors about, huh?" a kind looking nurse said as she walked into the room and closed the door. She motioned for the examination bed and Gabriella sat down, keeping Violet on her lap.

"Can you tell me your name, sweetie?"

"Violet…" she whispered.

"That's a really pretty name. My name is Mya. Do you think you could tell me where it hurts, Violet?" Mya asked as she sat down on a chair right in front of the bed.

"My tooth fell out."

"Oh my! Your tooth? Can I take a look?"

"Yes…"

Gabriella smiled. This nurse knew exactly what Violet needed to calm down and feel safe.

"Would you look at that? Both your front teeth are missing! I think the tooth fairy might come and visit you tonight."

"But they're gone…I can't put them under my pillow."

"Oh I'm sure the tooth fairy will understand. She's very nice you know."

"You think?"

"I'm sure of it."

Violet grinned, but the smile was instantly replaced with a sob as the stretching of her lips opened the cut on her lip wider.

"Shh, honey," Gabriella soothed and rubbed Violet's back.

"We need to put strips on that cut," nurse Mya said while rubbing the little girls' hand. "Thankfully it's a clean cut and once stripped in place it will heal nicely. If we're lucky it won't affect the outline of her lips as it doesn't look like it has reached the outer edges. Sweetie? We're going to have to do something that will hurt a bit, ok? We have to wipe the cut clean, and then I can put band-aids on it. It's going to sting, but it will feel much much better when we're done. You just sit there and hold mommy's hand."

"Oh, I'm not her mother," Gabriella said quickly.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed…"

"It's ok. I'm her teacher and ballet coach."

"A-a-and daddy's f-f-friend," Violet stammered.

"Yeah, and daddy's friend."

Mya smiled. "Despite being friends with her father, I will need his consent to proceed. Is there any way you can get in touch with him?"

"Yeah, I can call him."

"Ok, I'll prepare the things we need while you call him. Is there any other injuries I should know about?"

"Uhm…her wrist is awfully swollen, but she hasn't been complaining much about it."

"We should take an x-ray of that then; I'll make sure a radiologist is ready for her once we're done here," Mya said and picked up the phone on the table.

Gabriella got her own phone out of her pocket and found Troy's number once more.

"_Hey! I'm on my way, but I'm stuck in a fucking traffic jam!" _

"Hey, don't get yourself into trouble for speeding, Troy. We're fine. The nurse needs your consent though, before she can put this little sweetheart back together."

"_Ok, put her on."_

"Hang on."

Gabriella held the phone against her shoulder as she waited for the nurse to finish her phone call. The minute she hung up she turned towards Gabriella, silently asking if she had Troy on the line. Gabriella nodded her head and held out the phone.

"Hello? Mr. Bolton?" Mya asked.

"_Yes, that's me." _

"Ok, good. I need you to confirm a few details for us as well as give us permission to go ahead with treatment of your daughter. Full name?"

"_Violet Isabelle Bolton." _

"Date of birth?"

"_November 12__th__ , 2003." _

"Home address?"

"_1166, Vista Park Way, Malibu. Is that all?"_

"Yes, now I just need to know that you want us to proceed with our treatment."

"_I do, god just…make sure she's ok."_

"Thank you Mr. Bolton. Now this is what we're going to do; we are about to put some strips on her cut, and then she's off for x-rays. If needed, we will also place her arm in a cast as it is most likely broken," Mya informed him, keeping her voice perfectly professional while she walked across the room to sit down in front of Violet again.

"_Ok, do whatever you need to do. Gabriella is with her right?" _

"If you're talking about her teacher, then yes, she hasn't let go of her since they came in."

"_Good…Violet needs her there. If you don't need more from me, could I possibly get to talk to Gabriella again?" _Troy asked.

"Sure you can, one moment," Mya said and handed the phone back to its rightful owner.

"Hey," Gabriella said.

"_Hey, listen. I called my parents. They are both at work, but mom says she can possibly get away in about an hour. I know I'm asking far too much from you right now, but could you please stay with Vi until she can get there?" _His voice was filled with worry and guilt, and Gabriella couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face.

"You're not asking too much Troy, and of course I can. If it's a real hassle for your mom to get away it's no problem for me to stay with Violet until you can get here. I got the rest of the day off from school, so it's really not a problem. Just tell me where to take her."

"_You really are an angel…do you know that?"_

Gabriella blushed.

"I'm no angel Troy."

"_Yes you are, and if you're completely sure about this, our address is written on the name tag in Violet's backpack, and there is a key hidden under the turtle statue in the front yard. I'll text you the security codes for the main gate and the alarm. Now are you sure it's not too much?"_

"I'm sure; now concentrate on your driving. We don't need more people in the hospital today. I'll see you later, ok?"

"_Ok. Tell Violet I love her?"_

"Will do."

"_Ok then, thanks again Ella…I don't know what I'd do if you weren't with her." _His voice sounded so sincere that Gabriella couldn't help but feel touched. Whatever it was that was happening between them only seemed to have gotten stronger over the past hour, and in her selfish mind she was silently wondering what would happen when he came home.

"That's not something you need to dwell on Troy. I'm here and I won't leave her."

"_I owe you one, Gabriella, I owe you big time."_

"Don't worry about it, Troy. Just get home safely."

"_Ok, bye."_

"Bye."

---HSM---

Gabriella had been a lucky child growing up. She had never been rushed to the hospital with broken limbs or cuts that needed sewing. For that reason she had never really spent a lot of time in a hospital. She didn't know the ins and outs of the system, how long it would take for an x-ray to develop and exactly how a cast was put on was pretty much a mystery to her as well.

Until today.

Nearly two hours after they had arrived at the ER, Gabriella and Violet walked hand in hand out of the main door. Violet's left arm was covered in a pink cast, and the cut on her lip was held together with little white strips of tape. The x-rays of her mouth had come out clear and the doctors were positive that her new teeth had not been harmed when the old ones had been forcefully knocked out.

"Let go home sweetie," Gabriella said as she guided the little girl towards the taxi she had ordered. Violet turned her head upwards and gently licked her lower lip.

"Ok."

The drive to Troy's house was quiet for the most part as Violet was exhausted and struggled to keep her eyes open. In the past few hours she had been dragged from office to office for either examinations or treatment, leaving her completely drained.

Gabriella stroked Violet's hair absentmindedly as she looked out of the car window. She didn't know what to expect from Troy's house, except that it was probably big and beautiful. He had texted her the code to the security gate while Violet's broken arm had been set correctly and the cast had been put on. The fact that he had a security gate at all made Gabriella's thoughts wander. She had grown up in a family with a pretty average income and the only gate she had known was the painted wooden gate that led to her parent's garden.

The houses flew by outside the window until the cab suddenly made a left turn and continued down a darkening road. Gabriella sat up straighter as she tried to look out of the front window. She had no way of knowing if the driver was actually taking them where she had asked or if he given them a destination of his own. Glancing down at Violet, she noticed that she too was sitting up straighter and felt fear creeping up on her.

"Are we almost there, honey?" she finally managed to make herself to ask.

"Yeah, we live alllllllll the way in here."

Gabriella breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Oh yeah? Do you live in a big house?"

"Uhu, it has a big gate and two pools!" Violet said, perking up a bit as they neared the comfort of her own house.

"Does it have many rooms as well?"

"Yes, but me and daddy don't live in all of them 'cause they're messy."

A giggle escaped from Gabriella. She had never viewed Troy as particularly tidy; apparently she had been right in her observation.

"That's my house!"

Gabriella followed Violet's line of vision and couldn't help but gasp slightly. It wasn't necessarily the size that made eyes go wide, because it wasn't that big compared to the houses they had driven past, it was the aura that seemed to surround the building.

A white thick wall served as fence towards the road and the only way through it was by using the big iron gates that cab had just come to a halt in front. Stepping out of the car, Gabriella paid the driver and grabbed Violet's hand.

On the right hand-side of the fence a little panel was connected to one of the white poles, and Gabriella quickly punched in the code she had memorized an hour earlier. With a click the gate unlocked, and Gabriella followed it with wary eyes as it slowly buzzed open. Violet, who was more than ready to go inside, had already pushed her way through the opening and was busy trying to fetch out the spare key from under the turtle without using her broken arm.

"Are you coming?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Gabriella's face.

"Yeah, did you manage to get the key out?"

Violet nodded as Gabriella walked up the driveway and took in her surroundings. The front yard looked much like any other high class front yard, well kept and beautiful, however, what made Gabriella smile was the amount of toys that were scattered around the lawn. It was obvious that in this household Violet came way before any need to show off the little family's fortune.

Looking up, Gabriella noticed that the front door was now ajar and a pair of purple sneakers lay abandoned on the hardwood floor inside. With a smile adorning her face, she took the last few steps before entering unfamiliar house. The door closed gently behind her as she stepped out of her shoes and took a look around.

It was absolutely beautiful.

Right opposite the door was what Gabriella could only call a grand staircase. All the walls and the staircases foundation was painted white, the steps, however, seemed to be made of dark wood and the railings on either side was clear glass.

Gabriella took a tentative step.

"Violet?"

"I'm upstairs," Violet said, appearing at the top right hand of the staircase.

"I'm just going to look around sweetie."

"Ok, I'm going to say hello to Snoozer and Hamtaro."

Gabriella smiled.

"You go do that, I'll be down here."

With that the little girl disappeared through a doorway Gabriella guessed led to the bedrooms, leaving her with no other option than to go exploring on her own. The living room was to the immediate right of the stairs, and Gabriella gently bit down on her lip as she walked inside. A big entertainment centre stood against one wall and an L shaped couch was placed directly opposite it. The coffee table was full of little knick knacks and Gabriella grinned when she noticed that _Little Pet shop_ animals were adorably mixed with various business cards, keys and pens. On the wall above the couch stunning black and white, professionally taken, photographs of Violet hung. It seemed like Troy had taken her once a year, each photo series different from the one before. Gabriella smiled. This felt like a home. Not a museum.

As she looked around her eyes came to rest on a small framed picture in one of the shelves on a bookshelf. It was of a woman Gabriella had never seen before. She was pregnant and held a body suit over her swollen belly. It only took mere seconds for Gabriella to realize who she was; Violet's mom. The woman looked happy, and for some reason Gabriella felt a twinge of jealousy as her hands moved towards her own stomach. She wanted to know what it would feel like to have a baby inside of her, a little someone who depended fully on her.

Sighing she looked away from the picture and walked towards the big windows that lined one of the walls. The view was absolutely breathtaking. Nothing stood between her and the open sea, and in the distance she could see the waves as they hit the shore.

"Gabi?"

Gabriella jumped at the unexpected voice and quickly turned around to look at Violet.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I don't want to wear these clothes…they're dirty," she said and looked down at her body. Gabriella fought the urge to slap her own forehead, how could she have overlooked the fact that the little girl was covered in dirt and dried blood?

"You are so right, honey," she said and walked across the room to where Violet was standing. "Let's go find some clean ones and then you can have a bath. Does that sound good?"

"Uhu, but the doctor-man said that my cast couldn't be wet."

"We'll fix that. Do you know where daddy has little plastic bags and tape?

"In the drawer with the straws."

"Can you show me?" Gabriella asked and held out her hand for Violet to take. Violet wrapped her small fingers around Gabriella's and guided her to the kitchen where she pulled open one of the many drawers.

"In there."

"Ok, let's see then."

Rummaging through the messy drawer, Gabriella found a roll of tape and a clear plastic bag.

"There, we just need a scissor now," she said and reached for the scissor that was laying abandoned on the countertop.

"Let's go."

---HSM---

Twenty minutes later Gabriella wrapped a fluffy pink towel around Violet's wet body before carefully lifting her out of the bathtub.

"You're all clean now," she said while rubbing her with the towel. Violet nodded and pulled a wet strand of hair away from her face. Gabriella smiled before moving to dry off the little girls' long tendrils.

"There you go. Now let's have a look at that cast of yours so we can remove the plastic bag. Violet turned around and Gabriella sat down on the toilet seat. She grabbed a hold of the end of the tape and pulled gently.

"Ouch!"

"I'm going to pull it off quickly, ok? Like a band-aid."

Violet nodded slowly. Biting her lip, Gabriella tugged hard on the tape until it no longer was stuck to the skin above the cast.

"That hurt…" Violet whimpered with glossy eyes. Gabriella gently pulled the plastic bag off before leaning forward, placing a soft kiss on Violet's forehead.

"We're all done now, sweetie. Let's put your pj's on and we can go see if daddy has any ice-cream in the freezer. Do you want ice cream?"

"Yeah!"

"Ok, then," Gabriella said and reached for the pink and white pj's Violet had picked out.

"That's _American Girl _pj's, my _Bitty Baby _Alicia has them too," Violet stated proudly.

"She does? She's a real lucky _Bitty Baby_."

"Yeah, daddy bought it for us, but I lost one of her slippers…it was just gone. Maybe the monster in my closet took it, but that's not a nice thing to do."

Gabriella held back a laugh as she pulled the white, short sleeved top over Violet's head.

"No, that's really not a nice thing to do. Maybe the vacuum ate it?"

"Maybe, it ate my pink socks with lace on them," Violet said and shoved her good arm through the sleeve hole. Gabriella nodded as she helped guiding the other arm through before pulling the top down the rest of the way.

"Daddy tried to get it out but it was all grey and dusty so we throwed it out."

"Threw," Gabriella smiled and grabbed the pink, floral patterned Capri pants that went with Violet's top. "Step in." Violet did as she was told and Gabriella pulled the pants up.

"All done! Why don't you go pick a movie we can watch? And I'll clean up in here?"

Violet smiled big and nodded before running out of the bathroom.

"Careful on the stairs!" Gabriella yelled after her.

"Yeah I know!"

Shaking her head Gabriella picked up the wet towel and hung it on the drying rack. Abandoned on the floor lay Violet's once white sweater and Gabriella frowned as she examined the stains. It would be a miracle if they washed off properly.

Glancing at herself in the mirror she noticed the blood stains on her own sweater and she wrinkled her nose. Despite being a dark color the blood was clearly visible and Gabriella pulled it over her head, leaving her in a short-sleeved purple top that clung to her curves.

Once the bathroom was acceptably clean she closed the door and descended the stairs. Violet was curled up in a bean bag chair on the living room floor, her broken arm resting in her lap. The main menu for _Sleeping Beauty_ was showing on the big flat screen and Gabriella quickly walked into the kitchen where she found a tub of cookie dough ice cream in the freezer.

With two bowls in her hands she made her way back into the living room and sat down in the bean bag next to Violet's. The little girl looked at her with a huge grin, took the bowl and pressed play on the remote.

Feeling surprisingly comfortable, Gabriella leaned back in her chair and scooped some ice cream onto her spoon. Deep inside she knew that this situation was not ideal as she was Violet's teacher, but looking over at her, she quickly decided that for tonight it would just be them, and that she'd do whatever came naturally. Violet needed someone to care for her now, and Gabriella was not going to refrain from doing that, simply because her bosses would frown if they found out.

---HSM---

Troy groaned as the traffic light in front of him turned red. Due to traffic it had taken him nearly seven hours to get to Los Angeles, and he was more than a little anxious to get home. Not only did he feel guilt towards his daughter, but towards Gabriella as well. She had taken care of Violet all day, and he was sure that she felt ready to go home by now.

The light turned green and Troy quickly sped towards his home. The drive seemed to last forever and he let out a huge sigh when he finally parked the car in his garage. It only took him a minute to get to the front door and he quickly unlocked it and stepped inside.

"Hello?" he called tentatively.

No reply.

"Gabriella?"

The house was quiet around him except from the murmur of a TV somewhere. Stepping out of his shoes he unzipped his jacket and walked towards the living room. It felt good to move around after so many hours in the car, but he came to a halt as soon as entered the room. The credits to _Peter Pan _were rolling across the TV screen, and curled up in one of the big bean bag chairs were a sleeping Gabriella and Violet. His daughter sat sideways on Gabriella's lap, held tightly in place by two protective arms. A smile spread on his face as he walked towards them. On the table were several plates and bowls, and judging from the smell Gabriella had cooked spaghetti and meatballs.

They both looked so peaceful and a part of him didn't want to disturb them, but he knew he had to. Quietly he crouched down in front of them and carefully tried to pry Violet out of Gabriella's arm. This was a task that proved harder than he thought as Gabriella's arms tightened around Violet every time he tried to move her.

It warmed his heart that she was so protective of her, but Troy knew that neither one could spend the night in their current position.

"Gabriella…" he whispered and stroked the side of her face lovingly, "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty."

She groaned and Troy grinned, once again trying to get his arms around Violet.

"It's ok, Ella, I'm just going to take her to bed."

She loosened her grip and Troy successfully scooped his daughter into his arms.

"Troy?" Gabriella mumbled.

"Yeah, it's me."

"What time is it?" she asked and yawned.

"Around nine. I'll just put Violet to bed, ok? I'll be back in a minute."

Gabriella nodded and stretched her arms above her head. She looked around and frowned upon noticing the dirty dishes on the table. Standing up she grabbed the plates and made her way into the kitchen.

Upstairs Troy gently placed Violet on her bed and covered her with the pink duvet.

"Goodnight, Peanut," he whispered and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Daddy?"

"Shh…yes its daddy. Go back to sleep, sweetie, it's late," he whispered.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Vi, sweet dreams."

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Can Gabriella be my mommy?"

Troy was taken aback at the question and looked at his daughter not knowing what to say.

"Gabriella is your teacher, Violet. Your teacher and your friend," he finally said. Hoping Violet wouldn't take it badly.

"I know," she yawned, "but I wish she was my mommy too. I like her."

With that she snuggled into her pillows and drifted off to sleep, leaving a slightly confused Troy behind. Shaking his head he left the room and walked downstairs to find Gabriella bustling about in the kitchen. He watched as she placed the dirty dishes into his dishwasher and couldn't help but smile. Somehow it felt right having her there…as scary as it was admitting that to himself, it was the truth.

"Hey," she said and leaned against the counter.

"Hey."

"Are you hungry? I set aside some food from earlier. I hope you don't mind…but Violet was hungry and I had no idea when you'd be here so I raided your kitchen…" she said nervously.

Troy chuckled.

"I don't mind Ella; I think I'd be more worried if Violet wasn't fed actually."

Gabriella breathed a sigh of relief.

"So are you? Hungry that is."

"Starving."

"I'll heat some dinner for you," Gabriella said with a smile. Both perfectly aware of how couple-y they were acting, but neither willing to do anything about it. As Gabriella got a plate ready and put it in the microwave, Troy simply stood and watched her. Part of him knew that he should tell her that she could leave, but he didn't really want to so instead he walked up to the cupboard and took out two glasses.

"Want to watch a movie?" he asked as the smell of hot tomato sauce and meatballs filled the kitchen.

Gabriella bit her lip and locked eyes with him. She wanted to stay. Going home to an empty apartment really wasn't very appealing when Troy's warm living room was inviting her in.

"Sure," she finally said. Troy grinned.

"So, uhm, what did the doctors say about Violet?" Troy asked and scratched his neck. He really hated the fact that he hadn't been there for his daughter.

"You need to keep an eye on the cut on her lip, as well as where her teeth got knocked out. Just to make sure everything heals nicely. It will probably take some time before her new teeth come though because they weren't loose when they got knocked out," Gabriella said just as the microwave beeped, indicating that Troy's dinner was ready.

"What about her arm?"

"It wasn't a serious break, so they don't want her in for another six week. They'll remove her cast then."

"Ok, god I can't believe she got hurt. Was she scared? What am I saying of course she was…she's five…and I wasn't there…"

"Troy, she did real well. She understood why you weren't there and was real brave. Don't beat yourself up. How were you supposed to know that she'd get hurt?" Gabriella cut him off gently as she open the door to the microwave and took his hot plate out.

"Ouch! Damn it!" she exclaimed and dropped the plate roughly on the counter.

"You ok?" Troy asked, instantly at her side. She nodded and blew gently on her fingertips.

"It was warmer than I expected. How long did I leave it in there for?" she asked, clearly annoyed with herself. Troy chuckled and picked up her hand before gently placing a kiss on her fingers.

"All better," he whispered. Gabriella smiled up at him.

"Can I pick the movie?" she asked sweetly, breaking the trance they both seemed to have slipped into. Troy groaned.

"Not a chick flick please."

Gabriella just grinned and let go of his hand. "We'll see."

Shaking his head Troy grabbed his now cooler plate and followed her into the living room. Just as he sat down, she reached for the remote and started looking for a movie channel.

"Try 90, there usually something on there," Troy said and impaled a meatball with his fork. Gabriella did as she was told and squealed when she realized _Titanic _was just about to start. Grinning she curled up on the couch and focused her eyes on the screen.

"Ella…"

"Shh, its starting."

"_Titanic? _Seriously?"

"Yes, I haven't seen this movie in ages. Come on…please?" she turned her doe eyes on him, and he felt himself melting.

"Fine, but I'm not crying when Jack dies."

Gabriella giggled.

"I'm not asking you to."

"Good…this is really good by the way. How come it doesn't taste this way when I make it?"

"Thank you. I have no idea, I can tell you how I did it though."

"That would be nice."

"Ok then, shh old Rose is coming up…"

---HSM---

Jack had just been suspected of theft when Troy suddenly felt an extra weight on his right shoulder. Looking to the side he came face to face with Gabriella's dark hair and couldn't help but grin when he noticed that she was fast asleep.

"And you wanted to watch this movie so badly…" he whispered as he tucked a stray curl away from her face. His mother had been right when she said Gabriella was beautiful, it wasn't a fake beauty, it was one of the most natural of beauties Troy could ever remember seeing. She didn't need make up to look radiant, she just was.

His fingers brushed over her cheek and her eyes fluttered a few times before they lazily locked with his. Troy wasn't sure if she was fully awake or not, but he did know that she looked utterly adorable, and he really wanted to lean down just a bit more…

Gabriella couldn't draw a line between dreams and reality, she was pretty sure she was awake, but with the way Troy was looking at her she really couldn't be sure. His hand felt warm against her cheek, and a tingly feeling was quickly spreading throughout her body. He was so close. Just a little closer and their lips would touch in sweet bliss…

" Daddy…"

Troy bit his teeth together in frustration. Her lips were so close.

"Daddy I'm thirsty…"

"Go help her," Gabriella whispered. He nodded and stood up, waiting until the last moment to let his hand slip away from her face.

"I'll be back in a flash."

"Mhm…"

He could tell that sleep was already casting its sweet spell on her body, and he made a mental note to make sure a room was ready for her. There was no way he was sending her home in a cab when she was dead to the world. He didn't trust cab drivers further than he could throw them.

It only took a few minutes before Violet was sleeping peacefully and Troy could return to the living room. The TV was the only source of sound in the room, and Troy's eyes quickly focused on the sleeping girl on the couch. With a small smile playing on his lips, he bent down in front of her and carefully slipped one arm behind her back, and another under her knees.

"Let's get you to bed, Sleeping Beauty," he whispered. Gabriella made an incomprehensible sound before snuggling into his chest. She was lighter than Troy had imagined and within minutes he stepped into the only guestroom that was presentable. Walking into the room, he gently lowered her onto the bed and pulled the covers up till they covered her bare arms. The brown locks that he'd longed to run his fingers through fanned out over the white pillow, and he found himself smiling. Her even breaths were the only sound that filled the room, and before he could stop himself, Troy leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks for taking care of my angel," he whispered before he stood up and closed the door softly behind him.

**AN; **Please review and let me know what you think :)

Caroline xxx


	9. Changes

**AN; **Ok, so I started feeling bad for having this chapter done and not posting it… sooooo I decided to post : )

I hope you all enjoy and that none hunt me down with a pitchfork later….

Enjoy

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon **_**High School Musical,**_** copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and **_**High School Musical 2**_**, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**Chapter 8: Changes**

It was a familiar, yet uncommon smell that woke Gabriella the next morning. Turning over in the soft bed she took a deep breath and sighed in contentment. As she felt her body slowly awakening, she snuggled into the pillow before shooting upright into a sitting position.

She drew in a breath as she looked around. The first thing she noticed that there was indeed a distinct smell of eggs, bacon and waffles in the air, second; she was definitely not in her own room. The memories of yesterday washed over her as she fell back among the pillows. She was in Troy Bolton's house…and she'd slept in her clothes.

Groaning she covered her face with her hands as she tried to figure out how to deal with the situation she had put herself in. She hadn't planned on staying the night…wrecking her brain, she searched for the memory that would give a clue to how that had happened. Suddenly her eyes widened in shock and she ceased breathing.

Had he really kissed her? Or had she dreamt it? She distinctly remembered his warm breath on her face, their closed eyes and the frantic thumping of her own heart. But had he really kissed her? She couldn't remember. Her mind had been clouded with sleep at the time, and the last memory she had of the night was how their faces had magically drawn closer to each other.

Sighing Gabriella glanced at the watch around her wrist. 08.30 AM. She should probably make her way downstairs, but what was she supposed to say when she saw him? Did he remember the same thing she did? Frowning she sat up and looked around the spacious room. It was painted in a very light grey color and all the furniture were stained dark brown. Against one of the walls were a dresser and a full length mirror. Biting her lip Gabriella got out of bed and made her way towards the mirror. If she had to face Troy, she at least wanted to look somewhat presentable. Her curls were an absolute mess and she quickly pulled the hair elastic from her wrist and pulled her hair into a bun.

"That will have to do," she whispered to herself as she straightened her top.

---HSM---

Troy swore under his breath when the waffle he pulled out of the waffle iron was far too dark for his liking. He didn't usually go through this much trouble just for breakfast, he was more of a cereal kind of guy, but he had figured that since Gabriella had cooked last night, it was only fair that he at least made them breakfast.

He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the almost kiss the night before, and silently wondered how much she remembered of the incident. Shaking his head he poured more batter into the waffle iron and closed it just as he registered footsteps in the other room.

"Morning," a timid voice said and he smiled.

"Morning, sleep well?" he asked and turned around to face her.

Gabriella stood frozen in the middle of the floor. She had envisioned what would meet her in the kitchen in numerous different ways on her way downstairs; however, she had _not _pictured Troy to be cooking in his boxers. The man was stunning, there was no denying that, and Gabriella was mentally slapping herself for standing there like some sort of idiot.

"Gabriella?"

"Huh?"

"Did you sleep well?" Troy asked with a chuckle. She looked absolutely lost and he couldn't help but notice how incredibly cute she looked when she was confused.

"Uh, yeah I did. Took me a while to realize where I was though," she said, finally moving towards the barstools that lined the breakfast bar. As she sat down a thought struck her and she looked up at Troy with worried eyes.

"Uhm, Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"How'd I end up up there?"

A blush crept up his neck and Gabriella had her answer. He'd carried her upstairs.

"You fell asleep on the couch and I didn't have the heart to wake you. I also don't trust cabdrivers very much," Troy said just as he placed a perfectly golden waffle on a plate. "You don't mind do you?" he asked, suddenly worried that he had messed up her weekend plans.

Gabriella blushed. She couldn't say she minded, not at all. But the thought of him putting her to bed both warmed her heart and made her feel almost vulnerable. Instead of answering she gently shook her head and willed her blush to disappear.

Troy smiled.

"So Miss Montez, what do you fancy for breakfast?" he asked, trying to break up the somewhat awkward atmosphere that had settled around them.

"Depends on the menu," she smiled at him. Troy laughed.

"Well, we've got fried eggs and bacon, toast, waffles with fresh berries and a choice of whipped cream or yoghurt. Are you ready to order?" he asked and flipped an imaginary notebook open with one hand, and pretended to hold a pen in the other.

Gabriella giggled at the silly scene, but went along with it.

"The Waffles do smell absolutely delicious, so I'll think I'll take that…and hmm…can I have a glass of milk with that?"

"Coming right up."

Gabriella watched as Troy got out more plates and a few small, clear, glass bowls. One by one the bowls were filled with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries before Troy placed them on the breakfast bar. Turning around he opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of cream. From the drawer in front of him he pulled out a little handheld mixer along with its special little bowl. An inkling feeling in the pit of Gabriella's stomach told her that this would not end well. Biting her lower lip she observed him as he poured in the cream followed by a few spoonfuls of sugar. The next few seconds passed in a blur and the next thing she knew she was looking at a cream covered Troy Bolton. His face was one of pure shock and she couldn't help the laughter that escaped her.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," he spluttered and wiped cream off his face. Gabriella's giggles bounced off the walls and he couldn't help but join in.

When she finally managed to calm down her sides were hurting and she was sure that the smile would be forever engraved on her face. Tilting her head upwards she locked eyes with him and felt her heart skip a beat at the pure happiness that shimmered in them. The clear blue pools seemed to be smiling at her and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this at ease anywhere.

Their trance was broken when silent sniffles accompanied with the sound of shuffling feet entered the room. Both adults turned their heads to find a defeated looking Violet in the entryway. Her body was only covered by a pair of panties, and she had tears running down her cheeks.

"What's the matter, Peanut?" Troy asked; his voice full of concern as he stepped towards her.

"I can't get my clothes on," she cried as Troy stroked her cheek lovingly. "My cast is in the way!"

"Sweetheart, why didn't you just ask for help?"

"I wanted to do it on my own," she paused and looked at her dad. "Why are you white and sticky?"

From her spot on the barstool Gabriella giggled and Violet's head quickly turned to look at her.

"You stayed!" she exclaimed, her previous sadness replaced by excitement.

"Yes I did. I fell asleep on the couch."

"Did Daddy carry you to bed?"

Gabriella blushed and looked at Troy for help. His only response was a grin, obviously enjoying watching her squirm a bit. Where his sudden playfulness had come from she really didn't know, but right now she wanted serious Troy back.

"He did help me a bit, I was very sleepy," she finally said, breathing a sigh of relief when Violet grinned.

"Daddy's nice like that."

"Yeah, he is," Gabriella said and shifted her eyes to look at him. "Now; what do you say to me helping you get dressed while daddy cleans up and finishes breakfast?"

"Can you do my hair too?"

"Certainly little lady."

Violet grinned and practically ran towards the stairs.

"Come on!" she called, making Gabriella laugh.

"I'm coming I'm coming," she laughed. Throughout the exchange Troy stood back and watched the two interact. He had spent many a night awake wondering whether he alone was good enough for Violet. He knew that little girls needed their moms, and that fact was becoming clearer and clearer with every moment Gabriella spent with them. She was able to do the things with his daughter that he had never been any good at. Sighing he looked around and scratched the back of his neck. Maybe Violet needed a woman around her now. She was growing up, the sweet little baby girl he had brought home from the hospital had blossomed into her own person. A person who perhaps needed more than Troy alone could give.

_Can Gabriella be my mommy?_

The question had struck a chord in him. Violet rarely spoke of her lack of a mother, and countless times he had brushed off his own worry by telling himself that she didn't think about it, so why should he? It was an excuse. He was fully aware of that, but the fact that Violet had been the one to mention it last night made him wonder exactly how much the topic _did _occupy her thoughts.

With a sigh he decided to set the table and get breakfast ready for them all while Gabriella helped Violet get ready. It wasn't often they had breakfast like this and he wanted to make the most out of it. There was always time to dwell on things later.

---HSM---

Gabriella combed through Violet's long tresses with slow strokes. The little girl sat perfectly still as she twisted a pink elastic between her fingers.

"You want braids, sweetie?" Gabriella asked.

"Yeah, can you make those that are stuck to my head head? From my forehead to the back? Like McKenzie's got at school?"

"Sure I can, but it's going to take a little while."

"That's ok, I don't mind."

Gabriella smiled and reached for the comb on the countertop. With skilful fingers she parted and braided Violet's hair into six small braids, reaching from her forehead to the crown of her head. Small rubber elastics held the braids in place, and per Violet's request she added a small pink flower to cover each elastic.

"There you go, all done!"

Violet grinned at her reflection before turning to look at Gabriella.

"Thank you! It's so pretty! Daddy can only make a normal braid. Can I go show him?"

"Go ahead," Gabriella said with a smile and wave of the hand. Violet shot her a smile before skipping out of the room, blond curls bouncing as she went. Gabriella followed her with her eyes until she was out of sight then reached for the abandoned hairbrush and pulled it through her own dark tresses. She made quick work of pulling it into a more decent bun than the one she had made earlier and looked at herself in the mirror. Could be worse she thought with a shrug before exiting the bathroom.

---HSM---

Two hours later Gabriella found herself buckled into Troy's car once again. Violet was chatting excitedly from the backseat but Gabriella just couldn't manage to pay attention. Her head was spinning trying to figure out what exactly was going on. In the past two days she had crossed so many lines she couldn't even see where the first one was anymore. Looking after Violet was part of her job, kissing her dad, and then falling asleep on him was definitely _not. _That was if she _had _kissed him…sighing she closed her eyes and rested her head against the head rest.

In the driver's seat Troy reacted to the sigh and quickly glanced to the side.

"You ok, Ella?"

Gabriella smiled at the concern in his voice.

"I'm fine Troy," she said and turned her head to the side so she could look at him. After breakfast the two of them had decided to take Violet to the _American Girl _store as a treat, and Gabriella was desperately trying to understand what exactly was going on between them. Why had she said yes to the outing without even contemplating what it would mean if they ran into anyone from school? She desperately wanted to pull away from him, but found herself unable to the moment he looked at her. Sometimes she read the same uncertainty in his eyes, and she knew that sooner or later they would have to talk about this. Talk about what they were going to do; not only for their sake, but for Violet's.

In the driver's seat Troy recognized to look of thought on Gabriella's face and couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. So far the morning had been filled with mostly smiles and laughter, and although he had asked himself what exactly they were doing, he hadn't managed to stop it. Violet looked happy, and that automatically made him happy, but he _was _worried about how fast she was getting attached to her teacher. A cold feeling suddenly spread through him.

Teacher.

When Gabriella was around it was easy to forget that that was exactly what she was. She was Violet's teacher, and at the moment he wondered if his daughter understood just that.

---HSM---

A few minutes later Troy pulled into a free parking spot outside the _American Girl Place_. In the backseat Violet squealed and both Troy and Gabriella chuckled at her excitement. Adamant to hold Gabriella's hand, Violet handed her doll to her dad when carrying her proved to be difficult due to the cast on her arm. It was a rather cute sight in Gabriella's opinion; a grown man carrying his daughters doll as if it was the most precious thing in his life.

As they stepped inside, Violet suddenly let go of Gabriella's hand.

"Daddy I want her!" she exclaimed and ran towards a stand that was displaying the historical dolls _Elizabeth _and her friend _Felicity. _

"It's not called that, Violet," Troy scolded lightly.

"Can I have her? Please?" she asked, putting on her best puppy-dog face. Gabriella tried her best to hold in a giggle when she saw the look on Troy's face. It was obvious he struggled when faced with that expression.

"No, honey. _American Girl _dolls cost a lot of money, but your birthday is coming up, maybe you can get one then." Seeing the disappointed look on her face Troy quickly decided to tell her the reason they were there in the first place. "You can pick out an outfit you like though, because you were so good at the doctors yesterday."

Violet's face lit up.

"_Any _outfit?"

"Any outfit you want," he smiled and tapped her nose gently. The small girls' eyes were sparkling as she turned around to look at all the outfits on display. From her side next to Troy Gabriella smiled; silently loving the fact that although Troy had more money that most parents dreamed of, Violet was still not used to getting whatever she wanted whenever she wanted it.

A warm hand suddenly touched her lower back and a small shiver ran up her spine.

"This might take some time, she's rather undeceive when it comes to picking out her doll clothing," Troy said with a chuckle.

"I don't mind. Once upon a time I used to collect these things too," Gabriella said and flashed him a small smile. "My dad got me my first doll for my 7th birthday."

"Violet wants them all," he said while following the small girl with his eyes.

"What little girl doesn't? I never got more than three, but they sure brought a lot of joy while I was little," she said and looked at the various display windows. It was a paradise for doll-loving girls and a part of her longed to go back to those carefree days where she'd played for hours on end with no other goal than having fun. A display caught her eye and she automatically started walking towards it.

"I had her," Gabriella said and nodded towards the doll called Julie.

"She kind of looks like you," Troy said and shifted his eyes between the two. Gabriella smiled.

"That's what dad told me when I got it. He'd picked her because he thought we looked similar."

Troy noticed the change in her eyes when she mentioned her father and silently wondered what had happened there. It was the first time she had mentioned her parents and a feeling in his guts told him that it might not be a story with a happy ending. It sounded like she had a good relationship with her father, but she had yet to mention her mother, something he found a bit strange as she herself seemed to be so close to the children she worked with. He found it hard to imagine how she could have a bad relationship with a parent.

As if on cue Violet called for Gabriella's attention and he watched as the two looked at the various outfits, trying to decide which one Violet should pick. To everyone else they probably looked like mother and daughter, not teacher and student as they really were. Troy sighed and decided to try and make his wandering mind stop its worry for the time being and just enjoy the day. From across the store he met Gabriella's eyes and couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face. There really was something special about that woman, and as uncertain as he was about everything, he knew for sure that he wanted her to stay in their lives.

---HSM---

A couple of hours later Gabriella found herself walking down the Santa Monica boardwalk with an ice cone in her hand. It had been Violet's idea to go get ice cream at the beach after they had finished their lunch at the _American Girl _restaurant and neither of the adults had felt any need to disappoint her. Multiple times during the day Troy had placed his hand on Gabriella's lower back to guide her, and it almost scared her that every time he did she wanted the hand to remain there. It sent excited jitters through her body and as wrong as the situation was, it felt so right to spend time with him.

"Daddy look! Is that auntie Taylor and uncle Chad?" Violet suddenly exclaimed and pointed towards a couple who were walking towards them. Gabriella looked up surprised and squinted her eyes in the bright sunshine. The first thing she noticed was the giant afro on the guy's head; it stood around him like a halo and made him seem taller than he really was. They were both African American and she assumed that they were friends of Troy as she couldn't see how they could be related. The hand that had somehow found its way to her back again suddenly dropped and she heard Troy mumble something like 'oh man' and she mentally prepared herself to be asked questions she didn't know how to answer.

"Can I run ahead?" Violet asked and Troy nodded. She smiled brightly and quickly turned around and started running.

"Uhm, Troy?" Gabriella tentatively asked.

"They're my friends since childhood," he explained. "Chad Danforth and Taylor McKessie, or well, Taylor Danforth now. I've known them both since we were around seven, but it wasn't until high school that I got close to Taylor. That's when Chad fell for her and we've been a little group ever since. Violet adores them."

Gabriella nodded and bit her lip as the couple approached them. Violet was sitting on Chad's shoulders and Gabriella held in a giggle when she noticed that the drops of ice cream was dripping onto his extremely curly hair.

"Yo, hoops, look who I found," Chad said and reached up to gently tickle at her sides. Violet giggled loudly and Gabriella smiled at the sound. Her broke arm made it harder for her to hold on, but Chad made sure to maintain a secure grip on her foot all the time.

"It looks more like she found you from where I'm standing," Troy said with a chuckle. "Violet watch the ice cream."

"You're not dripping on me are you, Vi?"

"No…" she drew out the word and a giggle escaped from Gabriella. Suddenly all eyes were on her and she felt a need to reach for Troy's hand but resisted, knowing that a gesture like that would cause more questions to be asked.

"And who is this?" Chad asked and nodded towards her.

"That's Gabriella! She's my teacher and she's a ballerina," Violet exclaimed as Chad gently lifted her down from his shoulders.

"Gabriella, huh?" he said and glanced at Troy with raised eyebrows.

"Chad, you're being rude," Taylor said and smacked him over the head, making a smile appear on Gabriella's face.

"Excuse my husband's behavior; he seems to have forgotten his manners. I'm Taylor McKessie, it's nice to meet you," she said and extended a hand. Gabriella took it and shook it gently.

"Gabriella Montez, and likewise."

"Gabriella Montez…that sounds so familiar, we haven't met before have we?" Taylor asked and furrowed her eyebrows in thought. Gabriella shook her head and tried to remember if she had met the other woman before, coming up blank she thought back to any possible moments where they could have met without being aware of it.

"I used to compete in scholastic decathlon competitions in high school, maybe we met through that?" she suggested and Taylor's head snapped up.

"Yes! You beat me at nationals. Senior year. That's where I remember you from," Taylor exclaimed and Gabriella blushed.

"Sorry."

"No need to be sorry. You beat me fair and square. Not your fault you were smarter than me."

Gabriella laughed and glanced at Troy who seemed a little confused.

"You know each other?" he finally asked and Gabriella shook her head.

"We don't know each other. We've met," she clarified.

"What's decafalon?" Violet shot in and looked between the two women.

"It's a competition for smart people like your aunt and teacher," Chad explained simply and Violet nodded.

"Gabriella knows everything," she stated and Gabriella giggled.

"I'm not sure I know everything sweetie, I've just studied hard to learn things."

"I want to do that too."

"That sounds like a very good idea, Peanut," Troy said and ran a hand through her hair.

"So now that that's settled, what on earth happened to you Violet?" Chad asked and pointed at the cast that was adorning her arm.

"I fell at school, and then I had to go to the hospital with Gabriella 'cause my lip was bleeding and my teeth were gone," she explained before licking at her melting ice cream. "Then my arm hurt, and they put it in this big machine that took a picture of my bones…and they were broken. Then they put the cast on and I could go home."

Taylor and Chad looked at Troy and then at Gabriella who shrugged.

"That about sums it up," she said and took a bite of her own ice cream.

"Miss Violet, how on earth did you manage to fall and hurt yourself like that?" Chad asked and lifted the girl onto his arm.

"I wanted to slide on the big slide, but there were some big kids up there, and I fell when one of them knocked into me."

"You didn't tell me that Violet," Gabriella said surprised. "Who knocked into you?"

"I don't know…it wasn't on purpose. It was an accident."

"Ok, but honey, you need to tell me if someone doesn't treat you nicely ok? Can you promise me that?"

Troy watched the exchange and felt something stir inside him. There was something so very protective in Gabriella's voice and if he hadn't been sure before, he now knew that the days Gabriella worked he didn't have to worry about Violet at all. He was absolutely certain that she would do everything in her power to make sure his little girl was safe and happy.

"I promise," Violet said and nodded her head.

"Good."

Taylor observed the scene with a smile playing on her lips. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Troy act so affectionate around a girl. The subtle gestures spoke volumes and she couldn't help but wonder if her friend was finally going to let himself love again. Turning her attention back to Violet she suddenly remembered why they were there in the first place.

"What time is it?" she suddenly asked and Gabriella quickly glanced down at her watch.

"Almost two."

"Ai, we've got to get going then. We're supposed to meet my sister and Amanda at the pier in a few minutes," Taylor said.

"It's fun at the pier!" Violet exclaimed exited, making Chad chuckle. He glanced over at Taylor who nodded her head at his silent question.

"If you ask your dad nicely maybe he'll let you come with us," he whispered in Violet's ear. A grin broke out on the little girls face and she quickly turned her head to look at her father.

"Daddy can I go, can I go? Please?"

Troy laughed as his daughter attempted to pull a doe eyed expression with sparkling eyes. It was clear as day that she wanted to spend the afternoon with her auntie Taylor's real niece, Amanda, and Troy was not about to refuse her a fun day out.

"You can go," he said with a smile and reached for his wallet. Pulling out a fifty dollar bill he handed it to Taylor.

"To coverer whatever she wants to do there."

"Troy, we invited her, you don't have to pay then," she argued.

"Just take it Tay, you shouldn't have to pay for her, and it makes me feel better about letting her go with you."

"Ok, ok, you win."

"Good! Now Violet, be a nice girl and listen to Auntie Taylor and Uncle Chad, ok?"

"I will," she promised and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. Troy smiled and tapped her gently on the nose. After making sure that she had her sweater, the adults decided that Taylor or Chad would call Troy when they were headed home and he would come pick Violet up.

As the threesome walked off Troy reached for Gabriella's hand and pulled her towards him.

"So that's my two best friends," he said.

"They seem real nice. I cannot believe me and Taylor have actually competed against each other, though. How small is the world?" she mused as the tingling sensation from his touch traveled up her arm. Troy chuckled and shook his head.

"I didn't see that one coming. You really must be smart though, if you beat Taylor. She was the smartest in our class back in high school. She's a lawyer now."

"Mm, mom wanted me to become a lawyer as well, but I wanted to dance instead," she said with a small smile. Troy looked at her affectionately before gently tugging on her hand. A vacant park bench stood a few feet away from them and he intended to make the most of his time alone with her. Gabriella followed without protests, but reached out to throw the rest of her ice cream cone in the bin before sitting down next to him. For several minutes they sat in silence and watched as people passed them by. Her fingers were still laced with his and she found herself unwilling to change that fact. It felt good to be wanted, to know that he reciprocated whatever it was that she was feeling in regards to him.

"Do you suddenly feel like a teenager, too?" he finally asked, holding back a chuckle. Gabriella giggled and nodded her head. He'd hit the nail straight on the head. Feeling his thumb rub gently over her own, she let her head fall back and rest against his shoulder. It was a simple gesture, one that spoke of trust and intimacy, and although they had yet to utter a word about their relationship, neither wanted her head to move from its position.

"She cares a lot about you," Troy said quietly.

"Hmm?"

"Violet. She cares about you."

"I care about her too you know."

"I know," pausing he thought back to the conversation he'd had with his daughter the previous night and decided Gabriella should know about it.

"She asked me if you could be her mommy."

"What?!" Gabriella sat up straight and looked at Troy with a bewildered expression. Out of all things, she did not expect that come out of his mouth.

Troy took in her wide-eyed look and mentally slapped himself. He should have just stayed quiet.

"Last night," he said quietly. "She asked me if you could be her mommy, because she likes you."

Gabriella's face softened as she thought about the sweet little girl who obviously cared more about her than she had first thought. Biting her lip she glanced at Troy and noticed his nearly pained expression. The picture she'd seen in his living room flashed before her eyes and she silently wondered what had happened to the smiling woman. Why _didn't _Violet have a mother who loved her?

"How do you feel about that," she finally asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them. Troy looked up surprised. Her brown eyes looked directly into his and the panic he was certain he would see was nowhere to be found. Tilting her head slightly to the side a curl fell from its place behind her ear and his hand reached out on pure instinct. His fingers brushed across her skin and he watched as her eyelids fluttered close at the gentle touch. Slowly he pushed the lock of hair back and let his fingers trace the outer shell of her ear and down her jawbone. As they reached her chin her eyes opened and locked with his. The soft brown orbs were filled with emotion and Troy struggled to sort through his own.

He wished she could take on the role as Violet's mom.

He wanted the situation to be easier.

But most of all, right at that moment, he wanted to kiss her.

Placing his hand on her cheek he gently pulled her head back down to rest on his shoulder and placed a warm kiss on her forehead.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully as he breathed in her scent.

For a while she simply sat there. Her body twisted somewhat unnaturally so that she could stay in the same position. With every breath he took her body rose and fell slightly and she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so comfortable being close to a man. The seriousness of the situation still lingered between them, but something else and more powerful was present as well; something that made Gabriella slowly tilt her head backwards until her lips nearly brushed across his strong jawbone.

Feeling her movement, Troy turned his head so he could look at her and nearly stopped breathing at the close proximity of their mouths. He only needed to move an inch and her sweet lips would touch his. Hesitating slightly he reached his arm over to cup her cheek. The eyes that had been looking at him closed and she leaned into his touch.

He couldn't resist the temptation.

Closing his own eyes he leaned forwards until his lips no longer wondered what hers would taste like.

**AN; soooooo what'd ya think? **

**Caroline xxx**


	10. Complicated

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon **_**High School Musical,**_** copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and **_**High School Musical 2**_**, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks **

…-ΰ-…

_**AN:**_

_**At the beginning of all these chapters I've wanted to thank you awesome readers for following my story and for reviewing, but somehow I've always forgotten to add it! :s It really means the world to me, though, and I thank you one and all! **_

_**Hope you like this one! **_

…-ΰ-…

**Chapter 9: Complicated **

Gabriella was certain her heart stopped beating the moment she felt his lips on hers. Warm tingles spread throughout her body and her free hand slowly moved towards his face. Her fingers brushed against his cheek and dusted across his ear before settling at the back of his neck to toy with the locks of hair there.

His lips were gentle, soft, almost tentative in their movement, and Gabriella felt herself relax against him. His hand moved from her cheek to her neck where he applied a light pressure to pull her closer. She shifted slightly in her seat, making her legs brush up against his and he tightened his grip around her waist.

Lack of oxygen was the only reason he pulled away from her and the sweet taste of the strawberry ice cream she had eaten before. It was sweet, alluring, perfect. With a sigh the connection was broken and he slowly opened his eyes. Her face was inches away from his, mouth slightly open, eyes closed. God she was beautiful.

Her breathing was still heavy as she opened her eyes; deep chocolate pools that shimmered with affection. Slowly he leaned in and rubbed his nose against hers. A blush crept up her cheeks and he smiled.

"You're gorgeous," Troy whispered and she reddened even more.

"Thank you."

She felt like she'd been pulled back in time to when she had received her first kiss. She felt hot and tingly all over and her heart was beating wildly in her chest. There was no way he had kissed her yesterday, he couldn't have, if that was the case she was certain that sleep would not have come as easy as it had that night.

Not knowing what to do, Gabriella carefully tilted her head upwards until her lips brushed against his again. It only lasted for a moment; a moment that left her craving more; much more than what she knew she had any right to want.

"This shouldn't be happening," she whispered against his lips. Troy sighed softly before pulling her towards his chest for hug.

"I know, but I really don't feel like fighting it right now."

"Me either."

"So that's what we're going to do? Not fight it?" he asked before pressing a kiss to her hair.

"I don't know, Troy," she sighed. Did she want to go back to pretending there was nothing? No. Was she prepared for everything dating Troy would bring? She wasn't sure.

"I don't want you to not be in my life," Troy admitted quietly. Gabriella smiled and pressed a kiss to the column of his throat.

"I don't want that either…what if we just see what happens? If we kiss, we kiss, if we don't, we don't?"

"Yeah. I don't want to bring Violet into this yet though…to her you're daddy's friend, and I'd like to keep it that way. She's too little to understand these things."

He felt Gabriella nod against his shoulder.

"I agree, I'd like to keep it outside school as well. At least until I'm sure of their views on dating a parent."

"Does that scare you?" he asked.

"Does what scare me?"

"Dating a parent?"

"I used to think it would, but…I don't know. It's you and Violet, it's different. Easy." She said as she picked up his hand and interlaced their fingers. "It doesn't scare me."

"Good, that's good," Troy's said and held her closer to his chest. He felt no need to move from their current position, and from the soft sigh that emitted from Gabriella; he didn't think she did either.

...-ΰ-…

Gabriella was on an emotional high when she flopped down on her couch with dinner that night. Somewhere inside her she could still feel the tingles that had stayed with her all day and she smiled to herself. Exactly what sort of mess she had gotten herself into she wasn't sure, but it certainly didn't feel wrong. Shaking her head slightly she reached for the remote and flicked on the TV. The theme song for _Gilmore Girls _floated through the loudspeakers and she let her body sink further into the couch as she picked up a pizza slice and took a bite.

On the TV, Lorelai was babbling on about having a haunted leg and Gabriella giggled. Where these writers got their ideas she really didn't know, but she loved it. There wasn't a single episode she hadn't seen at least twice, but that wasn't a fact that made her unable to slip out of her own world and into theirs for about an hour.

…-ΰ-…

When Violet had fallen asleep that night Troy slowly walked into the guest room and sat down on the neatly made bed. Nothing in the room indicated that she had spent the night. The pillows had been fluffed and placed neatly where they should be and the duvet looked as if it hadn't been touched. Closing his eyes he leaned forwards and rested his head in his hands. What he felt around her didn't compare to anything he had felt since meeting Jennifer. It was as if the protective wall he had set up around himself had collapsed and he didn't know how to re-build it, didn't know if he _wanted _to re-build it. Something about Gabriella Montez made him wonder whether some risks were worth taking on not, whether what he could gain outweighed what he could lose. Opening his eyes he looked around the empty room. Deep inside he knew the answer to his own question. He'd had his answer the moment their lips had touched. He just hoped that she was willing to take the risk as well.

…-ΰ-…

Monday morning found Gabriella hurrying about her apartment with one shoe missing. She had overslept for the first time in ages only to find out that she had no hot water, and her laundry hadn't properly dried. All in all; not a very good start to the day. Swearing to herself she peaked under the couch in hopes of finding her right shoe.

"I'm a shoe…I'm a shoe..." she mumbled, eyes darting around the apartment. The sudden ringing of the phone nearly made her jump out of her skin and she glanced quickly at the watch before practically running over to pick up the singing object.

"Hello?" she asked slightly breathless.

"_Hey, Ella." _

"Hey, Troy," she greeted quickly before walking briskly into the bedroom where she threw open the closet doors in frustration.

"_Have you looked out of your window this morning?" _he asked and Gabriella raised her eyebrows. What sort of question was that to ask.

"No, I was damn it!" she exclaimed when a box fell of the top shelf; its contents spilling on the floor with clattering sounds.

"_What was that! Are you, ok?" _Troy's worried voice floated into her ear and she couldn't help but feel a slight twitching at the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, just a stupid box that fell, and I can't find my shoe, and I'm late, and I look like hell because I have no hot water, and I'm sorry why did you ask if I'd look outside?"

The warm chuckle that filled her ear moments later was laced with both amusement and understanding and she wasn't sure if she wanted to virtually smack him for laughing, or hug him for listening.

"It's pouring down out there," he informed a few seconds and she fell back on her bed as she glanced out of her window.

"Oh for fucks sake," she whispered while watching the droplets fall violently from the sky. How could she have missed that?

On the other line of the phone Troy's eyes widened as he put Violet's homework folder into her backpack. He hadn't expected such a phrase to escape from Gabriella's mouth, and bit back a chuckle at her obvious frustration with the weather gods. Seconds passed without either one uttering a word, but the quiet bustling noises from her phone told him that she had wordlessly gone back to looking for that missing shoe.

"Hey, Ella?" he asked just as Violet finished her breakfast and came to see where he was.

"_Hmm?"_

"I'll leave the house with Violet in about 10 minutes; can you be ready by the time we get to your place?"

"_Huh?" _

"You didn't think I'd let you walk in this weather did you?" he asked as he got Violet's rain gear out of the closet. Silently praying it would fit over her cast.

"_I…is that a good idea?" _she finally asked in a small voice. Troy sighed softly and scratched his neck. He knew very well she wanted to keep whatever was going on between them away from school, but there was no way he was going to let her walk when he was driving past her on the road. He would have offered her a ride even if there was nothing going on between them.

"I honestly don't know, but I'm not letting you walk Ella, and that's final."

"_Ok…I'll see you in a little bit." _

"See you in a bit," he said and hung up.

"Violet! Come here, peanut. We need to get ready to leave. We're picking up Gabriella on the way."

The small girl bounded into the hallway and gladly stepped into her wellington boots as Troy helped her slip the watertight coat on. The wide arms provided enough room for her cast to be kept shielded from the water, and Violet promised shed be careful and not get it wet.

As the duo walked out the door Troy snatched a pair of sneakers off the floor and put them into Violets backpack in case the rain stopped and she wanted to wear normal shoes.

…-ΰ-…

The wind nearly blew both Gabriella and Violet into the school when Gabriella pushed the door open. The hallway was bustling with people and hardly anyone paid them attention as they straightened up and shook the water out of their hair.

"You alright, Violet," Gabriella asked kindly once she had regained her breath.

"Yeah, but my hairs gone all wet."

"That's alright, honey, it'll dry really fast in here. Now; I have to go to see the other teachers before class, will you be ok on your own?"

"Yeah, I'm a big girl."

"I know you are. See you in a few minutes," Gabriella said as she watched the little girl make her way through the mass of children; her hurt arm held protectively against her chest. Biting her lip she smiled slightly and moved towards the stairs. Her head was still filled with nervous thoughts about what the rules regarding a parent-teacher relationship really were, and she didn't notice Mrs. Danes until she walked straight into her.

"Oh goodness," the older woman exclaimed and Gabriella blushed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mrs. Danes! My mind was wandering; I didn't see where I was walking."

"That's alright, no harm done. Hope there's nothing serious bothering you?"

"No, no, nothing serious; just you know life in general," Gabriella said with a smile.

"Yeah, that tends to get in the way at times. Oh! I meant to ask you, how is little Violet doing?"

"She's doing fine. Her arm turned out to be broken, so she's wearing a cast which is bothering her a little, but all in all she's doing really well."

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear it! She looked so broken up the other day. Did they take good care of you at the hospital? I hope no one treated you badly because you were her teacher, not mother?" Mrs. Danes asked with a kind smile.

"They were all very nice, well except for this one nurse, but I accidently snapped back at her, she was just way out of line when she accused Troy of not being a good father." Gabriella said as a blush crept up her neck. Something about Mrs. Danes made her feel like she couldn't tell her anything but the truth. Something about the older woman just told her that even if she pretended there wasn't anything between her and Troy, Mrs. Danes would know the truth.

"Aah, so you met one of those nurses that live believing in 2,5 children, a golden retriever and a white picket fence huh?"

"Yeah, something like that. Thankfully she wasn't the one treating Violet. "

"That's good to hear, that little girl is so shy she'd probably get scared if some cross nurse treated her," Mrs. Danes said as she glanced down at her watch. "Oh, goodness! Look at the time; I'll let you go so you can get your things ready before class."

"Alright. I'll see you later," Gabriella said with a smile before continuing on her way to the office and her desk. Once there she quickly sat down her bag and went to check her shelf for any messages or letters that might have been placed there after she had left school on Friday. A single sheet of paper, informing her of a staff meeting Wednesday night, waited for her and she quickly folded it and put it in her folder. Certain there was no info she had missed in the office she collected what she needed for class and headed for the hallway.

…-ΰ-…

Troy was to his neck in budgets when his phone rang loudly and filled the silent office with its shrill sound. Yawning he reached for the object and glanced at the screen. Smiling slightly he pressed the green button and held the phone up against his ear.

"Hey mom."

"_Hey, sweetheart. I'm sorry to bother you while you're working but I'm about to head out for a little shopping trip and was wondering if there's anything in particular Violet wants for her birthday?" _

"Uh…she's very into her American dolls at the moment, so anything from there would be a hit. She hasn't really mentioned anything special aside from that. She probably has too much stuff, which is totally my fault…sorry about that," Troy chuckled.

"_I suspected as much. How does she like dancing, would she like to have something ballet related?" _

"Definitely, she idolizes Ella and wants to be a ballerina just like her, so I think anything related to that would be a hit."

"_Alright, I'll see what I can come up with. How is Violet doing by the way? Is she at school today or did you keep her at home?" _Lucille asked as Troy let himself relax against the back of the office chair.

"Violet is at school. She hasn't been complaining about too much pain and her cuts are healing up nicely. I saw no reason to keep her at home. She also seemed a bit excited to show off her bright pink cast," Troy said with a small smile, fully understanding why his mother was asking. Deep inside he knew that if it wasn't for the fact that Gabriella was at school with his baby girl, he probably would have kept her at home for a few days while she healed up.

"_And Gabriella?" _she asked in a knowing voice.

"What about her?" Troy asked wearily, not liking the tone of his mother's voice.

"_She was there with Violet wasn't she? When you got home from Salinas. What happened?" _

Troy sighed and scratched the back of his neck. What he supposed to tell his mother about a relationship he wasn't even sure of himself.

"Yes she was here, she was asleep actually, and nothing happened. She stayed the night in the guest room, and then we took Violet to the _American Girl _store for a treat."

"_Oh honey, that's not nothing. Had it been any other teacher the care would have stopped at the hospital until someone could pick her up."_

"I know that, mom, but she's not another teacher. We're…friends."

"_Troy, I'm not judging. I like Gabriella, remember? I just want you to think things through before you take this too far. For all you know the school could have rules about these things."_

Troy sighed heavily. He loved his mom, he really did, but sometimes it felt as if she still looked at him as a child, unable to make the right decisions.

"I know mom, Ella knows too. We're just seeing what happens, ok? I do like her a lot, but to be honest I don't even know if I'm ready for more than friendship. It's…complicated."

"_She would have wanted you to be happy you know. It's not wrong for you to move on." _

"I know. Just… please leave it for now? I don't want Violet to get her hopes up more than she already has."

"_How do you mean?" _Lucille asked confused.

"She asked me if Gabriella could be her mommy."

"_Oh my…"_

"Yeah."

"_Does Gabriella know?" _

"Yeah, she was surprised, but didn't freak out or anything. She cares a lot about Violet," Troy said with a small smile. As unsure he was about this whole situation, he couldn't help what he felt around Gabriella. When he was alone he analyzed and worried, but when she was close it was as if none of it mattered. Rubbing his eye absentmindedly, he nearly jumped a mile when the office phone went off.

"I've got to go mom, the other phone is ringing. I'll call you later ok?"

"_Ok, honey. Remember, if you want to talk about what's going on, you can."_

"I know. Thanks."

"_Good. Bye, sweetie."_

"Bye."

He quickly hung up the phone and reached for the one that was currently filling the room with it's shrill ringing.

"Troy Bolton, how may I help you?"

…-ΰ-…

That Friday Gabriella felt a bit at a loss of what to do. In the early hours of the morning she had received a call from school informing her that an overnight water leak had forced the board to close the school while plumbers were working on fixing the problem and the building was being drained. As a result she now sat perched on her coach unsure of what to do. She had finished what school work needed to be done yesterday, and her weekends work was not yet in as the students were supposed to hand it to her at school that day. Shrugging she reached for a book she had abandoned and leaned back into the soft cushions.

Two chapters later, she was rudely interrupted by her cell phones ringtone, and blindly reached for it while trying to finish off the page she was reading.

"Hello?"

"_Please tell me you know how to bake."_

"Troy?" she asked slightly confused as she put the book down on the seat next to her.

"_Yeah, uhm do you? Know how to bake?" _

"Yeah… why?"

"_Let's just say that Violet's idea of baking for her birthday _sounded _like a fun idea. I'm not sure what I just pulled out of the oven, but I'm not serving it to ten little girls later tonight, that's for sure." _

Gabriella laughed out loud as she stood up and walked over to the bookshelf.

"I'm taking it that you haven't baked a lot in your life?" Gabriella asked and pulled out a book on cakes and other treats from its shelf.

"_You can say that again. I usually buy these things, but Violet really wanted to bake with me. And I didn't think it was going to be this hard." _

"I'll be over in a little while. Do you have what you need for another try?"

"_Uhm, no. I don't think so, and Violet probably wants some fun decorations…god I'm horrible at this. Help?"_

She couldn't help but giggle at completely lost sound of his voice. She could vividly picture him and the mess he must have made, and made a mental note to pick up some cloths as well.

"Troy, I'll help ok. I'll stop by the store and get some supplies and you can just pay me back for them. It's ok. We'll make her a great party. Stop worrying."

"_Are you sure? You don't have anything else you need to do?" _

"I'm sure. I was just reading a book. I'll see you soon," and with that she hung up and put the cooking book into her bag. A box wrapped in pink paper with polka dots rested on the chest of drawers in the hallway and Gabriella quickly grabbed it as she slipped on her shoes. She hadn't thought she'd get to give it to Violet on her actual birthday, but she certainly didn't mind. Spending the day with Troy and the little girl who had crept far into her heart seemed like a better plan than reading a book she had read before anyway. After checking her bag for keys, wallet and phone, she flicked off the lights and headed out the door with a smile on her face.

…-ΰ-…

Troy hung up the phone and grinned down at Violet.

"Ella's coming to help us out," he said and brushed flour off his daughter's nose.

"Yay! I think she's better at making a cake than you were daddy. Because that cake doesn't look like a cake…"

Troy chuckled and looked down at the mess he had placed on the counter. It was supposed to be a chocolate cake, but if he was honest with himself, it really looked more like charcoal. He wasn't sure where it had all gone wrong, but he was pretty sure that cakes were _not _supposed to have a hard outer shell and be completely runny on the inside. He could definitely cross baking off as something he was not able to do. At all.

"I know, Peanut, daddy's not a baker is he?"

"No, but you're still the best daddy," she exclaimed before skipping out of the room, leaving a grinning Troy behind. How had he been blessed with such a sweet child? Shaking his head slightly he walked towards the counter and looked at the picture Violet had showed him in her party book. It was cake shaped as a castle, but he had no idea how he'd be able to make anything like that. Scratching his nose he reached for his cell phone and turned on the camera. Maybe Gabriella would have a good idea.

"_That's the cake peanut wants; ideas on how to achieve that are welcome" _he typed in before pressing send.

A few minutes passed before the phone vibrated in his hand.

"_Got a few ;) she'll have her princess cake :)" _

Breathing out a sigh of relief he sat down on a barstool and simply waited for his saving angel to arrive.

…-ΰ-…

Two hours later the kitchen was a complete mess, but none of the people currently in it seemed to care. Violet and Gabriella both wore aprons, while Troy had opted for a black t-shirt (which he soon regretted after the first flour accident). The air was filled with the heavenly aroma of chocolate cake baking in the oven, and Troy was sure he heard his stomach rumble as he bent down to take a look at it.

"Ok, sweetie, can you pour that cup of flour into here?" Gabriella asked as she continued whisking together eggs and sugar with the Mixmaster. Violet nodded and picked up the measuring cup and poured it into the batter.

"Thank you honey. How's the cake looking Troy?"

"A hell of a lot better than mine did," he answered with a chuckle.

"Daddy! That's a bad word!" Violet scolded and sent him her best stern look. Troy did his best not to smile and nodded his head.

"You are very right, Vi. That's a very bad word."

"Why did you say it then?"

"It just slipped out, sweetie," he said and brushed some chocolate powder off her cheek.

"I slipped out a bad word once, but you still god mad," she said and Gabriella turned her head to hide her smile.

"Yes I did."

"Why?"

"Because little girls shouldn't know bad words," Troy simply said and reached for a dirty bowl that needed to be washed so they could make another batter in it.

"Oh…" Seemingly accepting that reason, she turned around and watched as Gabriella put some more ingredients into the mix that would eventually turn into a Swiss roll cake. Across from the two girls, Troy rinsed out a few of the dirty kitchen utensils and placed them on a clean towel. He had not expected to spend the day baking with his daughter and Gabriella, nor had he expected for the scene to remind him so much of something a family would do. Gabriella was treating Violet as if she was her own little girl. She was letting her help out while she baked cakes for a birthday party she hadn't even been invited to. Shaking his head he turned around and looked at the pair. Their backs were turned towards him as Gabriella poured the light yellow substance into a long flat pan. Once done she handed the bowl and spatula to a grinning Violet who stuck out her tongue to lick of the sweetness. Smiling, Gabriella turned to look at the clock. Halfway there, her eyes came to rest on him, and he sent her a smile. Her eyes were questioning, and he simply smiled and shook his head to indicate that nothing was wrong. She raised her eyebrows in suspicion and he couldn't help but chuckle.

"I was just watching you guys," Troy said and raised his arms in surrender. Her melodious giggle rewarded his confession and he simply watched her as she took the chocolate cake out of the oven and placed it on the island.

"That smells yummy!" Violet exclaimed from her place on the stool.

"It sure does, do you think we'll manage to make a castle out of it?" Gabriella asked and reached for one of the abandoned whisks on the counter so she could taste some of the batter.

"Uhu. It's going to be the prettiest cake ever!"

"Maybe, but we're going to have to wait until it's all cold to make the glazing or it'll just melt off."

"That wouldn't be pretty."

"No, that wouldn't be pretty. But we can make a decorate cupcakes while we wait, how does that sound?"

"I love cupcakes!"

"So do I," Gabriella laughed.

"I have to pee first," Violet suddenly exclaimed and Troy chuckled.

"Well then, run ahead peanut. Can you manage with your cast?"

"Yes, daddy," she said and jumped off the stool and ran out of the room, leaving the two grinning adults behind.

"Thanks for this," Troy said as he walked towards Gabriella who was leaning her hip against the island counter.

"Hmm?" she asked, head turning to look at him. Her forehead had traces of flour and on her nose sat an adorably misplaced dot of cake batter that he ached to kiss away.

"For all of this. If you hadn't come over this would have ended in disaster."

"Or with a trip to the bakery."

"Or that… but you know what I mean. Violet is in paradise."

"And you?" she asked, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she averted her eyes. He took a step closer and brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear before tilting her face upwards. The brown orbs that looked up at him were filled with uncertainty and he quickly leaned down and kissed her nose, efficiently removing the yellow dot.

"Troy…what…"

He didn't let her finish, but captured her lips in a sweet kiss instead. Her response was tentative, as if she was being watched, judged. His hand caressed her cheek and she sighed as he broke the kiss, small smile playing on both their lips.

"He's pretty close to paradise as well," he whispered before pressing his lips against hers in a quick peck.

…-ΰ-…

It was nearly four o'clock when Gabriella placed the last ice cream cone on the Swiss roll to make the roof for the cake castles tower. She really was rather impressed with how the cake had turned out. A few things were different from the picture in Violet's book, but all in all it looked very similar. The round chocolate cake had formed the base of the castle, while the Swiss roll had become two little towers. Everything had been covered in white glazing and now looked like a proper little castle.

On the barstool next to her Violet grinned as she looked at the final product. For a while she hadn't understood how those different cakes could become a castle, but now it was finished and, in her opinion, it was even better than the one in her book.

"That's the prettiest cake I've ever seen," the little girl said as Gabriella wrote _Happy 6__th__ Birthday Violet! _on the cake tray with pink icing. The party was due to start at 4.30 and Gabriella had agreed to fill in for one of the tap instructors at the dance studio at 5, meaning she had to leave soon if she was ever to get ready on time.

"Thank you, honey," she said and picked up the tray to place in the fridge until it would be eaten.

"Daddy can I go change so Gabriella can see my pretty dress?" Violet asked with pleading eyes.

"Yes you can," Troy nodded as he placed a few packages of hot dogs on the counter. When it came to birthday parties he opted for the easy way out. BBQ a few hotdogs and burgers and make fries. It was quick, it was easy and it was what children loved.

"Will you be ok with all this?" Gabriella asked and jumped up on the island counter. Troy nodded before walking towards her.

"Don't worry, Ella. My parents are coming over and I think Taylor is bringing her niece so I won't be alone with all the girls."

"That's good, I'd stay, but you know…."

"Complicated," he filled in.

"Yeah…complicated," she agreed, a tingle running through her body as he stepped to stand between her legs, hands on her thighs.

"I really cannot thank you enough for today," he said as his hands travelled up around her waist.

"Troy…"

"I know, it's not a problem, but I really do appreciate it, Ella."

"Troy," she said gently.

"Yeah?"

"You're welcome."

There really wasn't much else for Troy to do than lean up and brush his lips against her soft ones. It was sweet, gentle, loving, and Gabriella felt herself smile as the butterflies in her stomach fluttered at his touch. There really wasn't anything like this she decided. Being kissed by Troy Bolton was like nothing she had ever experienced, and she feared that it was something she would quickly get addicted to.

…-ΰ-…

The moon shone softly when Troy jolted awake at the sound of his phone. Sitting up he reached for the annoying flashing object and pressed the green button.

"Hello?" his voice sounded hoarse and he cleared his throat quickly. The other end was still silent and he scrunched his nose in annoyance.

"Anyone there?" he asked and a sharp intake of breath floated into his ears. Confusion spread on his face and he removed the phone from his ear to look at the caller ID on the screen.

_Gabriella _

That name was all it took for his heart rate to speed up.

"Ella, are you there?"

"_I'm scared." _

Her voice was barely above a whisper and he found himself getting out of bed before he even registered that that was what he was about to do.

"Talk to me, Ella. What's going on?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as even, calm and soothing as possible even though his mind was filled with horrible scenarios.

"_Someone's here…trying to…" _

A loud bang and yelling sounded through the phone before the line went dead. Not caring about shoes or sweaters, Troy ran down the stairs, grabbed the keys to the car and forcefully opened the front door. He didn't care about locking it as his legs carried him towards the garage. As he jumped in, he mentally thanked his parents for suggesting taking Violet home with them that night. Shoving the key in the ignition he started the car and sped towards Gabriella's apartment complex. Something was very wrong and he was not about to let anything happen to her without doing whatever the hell he could to stop it.

…-ΰ-…

**AN: **Dum dum dum dum…. Please tell me what you think.

Caroline xx


	11. Never Alone

_**Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon **_**High School Musical,**_** copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and **_**High School Musical 2**_**, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks **

**AN: **Ok… so I gave into peer pressure from the FF girls and posted before my regular beta had to chance to read through. One of my best friends came to the rescue and beta'd for me instead :D Thanks Ieva!

Thanks to my Partner in crime Mya! (minixoxmya) Without her this story wouldn't be anything like it is today! Love ya girly!

And thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! MWAH!

Hope you like this!

**Chapter 10: Never alone**

Gabriella had always been one to scare easily. As a child her dad had gotten rid of many closet monsters and lions that resided under her bed, and as a teen and adult her head was still capable of playing tricks on her. Darkness was, in her mind, capable of hiding horrid things, and she was not one to believe that what she couldn't see, couldn't see her. As she had grown older she had learned how to deal with her fear of being alone at night, and being alone in the dark. She had gotten used to living alone, and was, in her opinion, rather brave when she had to be. However, her bravery had only been tested when there had in reality been nothing to be afraid of, and as she glanced down at the shattered phone on the floor, she knew for a fact that this was definitely something to be afraid of.

Forcing herself to take deep breaths she quickly gathered the pieces to her phone and ran into her bedroom and locked the door. Her heart was beating a million beats per minute and as she leaned against the closed door she felt her legs give way, making her slide towards the floor. Tears were swimming in her eyes as she glanced around the room time and time again while listening for any sounds coming from the other room. The door rattled loudly again and she jumped as the sound of wood snapping reached her ears. She couldn't breathe. Her lungs ached but she couldn't make herself take a breath. The metallic rattling of her door chain pierced the air and she hid her face in her knees.

_Why me?_

She asked herself as another bang and crack sounded. There wasn't anything valuable in her apartment, nothing she owned would sell for much and her jewelry collection was pretty much nonexistent. With closed eyes she forced herself to breathe calmly again. In and out, in and out. _Troy would come soon; he would make it all ok, _she told herself over and over again. Eerie stillness suddenly seemed to surround her, and she didn't even dare blink. Calm before the storm.

As if on cue the front door chain rattled violently again ,and she squeezed her eyes together as tears streamed down her cheeks. _Go away! _She thought angrily, willing herself to be brave and do something, but finding that she couldn't as her mind filled with even more horrible pictures of what would happen if she faced whoever tried to get in.

…-ΰ-…

Troy was certain he had broken at least a dozen rules as he sped towards Gabriella's apartment. He had tried to call her back numerous times, but was informed that her phone had been switched off every time. Groaning he watched as the traffic light turned red, and he was forced to stop. Why was it that every time he needed to be somewhere quickly, nothing seemed to work in his favor?

He tapped the steering wheel as she willed the light to turn green.

"Come on, come on, come on," he mumbled.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella didn't know how much time had passed since she had called Troy. It felt like hours. Maybe he wasn't coming, after all? Trying to recall exactly what he had said she felt her stomach sink. He hadn't told her he was coming. He had only asked her what was going on.

In the darkness of her bedroom she chocked on a sob. She was all alone. The lunatic was going to get in, and she would have to face him all alone. Shivers shook her body as another wave of panic hit her. Never in her life had she felt so alone. There was no one else in town she could call; no one else that would pick up the phone at this hour. Gasping for air, she fumbled with the pieces of her phone as she put it back together. Maybe he would come if she called again.

…-ΰ-…

Taking a sharp turn left, Troy was finally able to spot the building he wanted to see. Only a few more meters. The parking lot was full, but he didn't give that a second thought. As close to the front door as possible he stood on the breaks, and the car came to a screeching halt. He was certain he was running on pure adrenaline, if not he'd probably have thought more about the danger entering the building could mean.

…-ΰ-…

He wasn't picking up. Why wasn't he picking up? The tears clouded Gabriella vision now, and she paid more attention to the fact that Troy wasn't picking up, than to the fact that her apartment door had been left alone for a long time now. Sniffling she placed the phone on the floor and angrily wiped away her tears. Why didn't he care?

"_Gabriella!" _

She jumped.

She knew that voice.

"_Gabriella, baby, are you in there!" _

The chain rattled again, but this time it didn't scare her. He _had _come for her. Standing up she carefully turned the lock and peaked out. Her heart still beat violently in her chest as she looked around her living room for any signs of an intruder. To her surprise everything was in its rightful order.

"_Ella! If you are in there _please _open the door."_ His voice sounded desperate and she carefully opened her bedroom door wider.

"I'm here," she nearly whispered, scared that someone might be lurking around.

On the other side of the door Troy breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of her voice. On the floor around him lay splinters that had once kept the lock on her door in place, and he dreaded to think what could have happened had her door not been chained. The shuffling of feet from inside told him that she was moving towards the door, and he felt something inside him ache to make sure she really was ok. Slowly, the ajar door closed and he heard the chain being unhinged. The seconds that passed seemed to last forever until she suddenly stood in front of him. Her hair was tied in a messy bun with stray pieces of hair falling out and framing her face, and her cheeks showed marks from the tears that had fallen from her red eyes.

"Hi…" she whispered her breathing still shaky from crying. She looked so fragile standing there in her pj's that Troy just wanted to hug her tight and never let go.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he took a step towards her and let his fingers stroke across her soft cheek. She shrugged and crossed her arms in front of her waist in a protective manner. Troy could see her lip quivering and opened his arms for her. Wordlessly she stepped into them and accepted the hug she had longed for throughout the ordeal.

"No one's going to hurt you, Ella. I'm not going to let anyone touch you," he soothed as he held her close. Her small body relaxed at his touch and he kissed her head lovingly as her arms slid around his waist. For long moments they stood still, both lost in their thoughts as the minutes passed by.

"You're barefoot," Gabriella suddenly said, and Troy couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes, I am."

"Why?"

"Because you called me and said someone was here. Then the line went dead, and I had no idea if you were ok or not," he said and let his hand brush across her soft cheek. He couldn't see her face properly, but he could still make out the slight blush that colored her tanned skin.

"You scared me," he said softly, and she pushed her head away from his chest to look up at him. His eyes spoke nothing but the truth, and she mentally slapped herself for ever doubting that he cared. Gently she bit down on her lip as her eyes lowered to the ground.

"I'm sorry… I just didn't know who else to call," she nearly whispered, and he shook his head.

"Ella, I'm glad you called me."

"You are?" she asked surprised and lifted her head.

"Yeah." His hands found hers and entwined their fingers. "Despite this whole situation and its complications I _do _care about you. I don't want you to be afraid of calling me, ok?"

"Ok," she said with a slight smile.

"Now, there's no way I'm leaving you here, so pack whatever you need and I'll take you home with me," seeing her about to interrupt he cut her off before she had the chance to utter a word. "Ah ah ah, that's final. You are not staying here without a proper lock on your door with a maniac possibly roaming the hallways."

"Thank you," she said and stood up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss against his lips. He smiled and drew her closer to him. Friends? Friends with benefits? Couple? He didn't know what they were, but he didn't particularly care as he felt her arms wrap around his neck to steady herself. The kiss was gentle and comforting, both testing the waters, testing themselves.

With a gentle sigh Gabriella broke away and bit down on her lower lip. Troy smiled softly as he nudged his nose against hers.

"Lets pack, huh?" he whispered softly, and she nodded her head. With their hands still entwined they made their way further into the apartment to get what she would need for a few nights away.

…-ΰ-…

_Darkness surrounded her. Nothing but darkness. She could hear the sound of footsteps as they came close,r and she frantically felt around for something, anything, she could use to protect herself with. Warm salty tears ran down her cheeks and into her mouth as her heart beat wildly in her chest. He would find her, and when he did he would… he would… she couldn't make herself think it. She wanted to scream, wanted to whimper, wanted to be anywhere but there. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that he would hurt her. She stood in the way of whatever it was that he wanted, and she had seen enough TV to know that the lone girl didn't stand a chance. _

_Biting back a sob she forcefully closed her eyes and pulled her knees towards her face. She was all alone. No one would find her, no one would miss her, no-one expected to see her for days. _

_The footsteps came to a halt, and the door handle rattled. _

_Gabriella jumped and bit down forcefully on her lip. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, and she grimaced. _

"_Anyone in there!" The wooden door did little to muffle the deep male voice, and Gabriella's body shook at the sound. For a moment everything was quiet, and she prayed that whoever he was had taken her silence as a sign that she simply wasn't home. _

_He hadn't. _

_Mere seconds later the door shook as something forcefully rammed into it. This time Gabriella couldn't keep her whimper to herself and immediately covered her mouth as the sound registered in her ears._

_He was coming to get her. _

_The terrifying sound of wood breaking filled the room, and she curled herself into a ball. She wanted to disappear, sink through the floor, magically evaporate only to find herself somewhere safe, anything, absolutely anything but be where she currently was. _

"_Thought you could hide, did you?" _

_His voice sounded evil. The kind of evil you tell yourself doesn't exist anywhere but in movies. Gabriella shuddered. _

"_Open your eyes," he commanded. She squeezed them shut. _

"_..Eyes!" He swung his leg backwards before aiming for her fragile body. _

Gabriella shot up in bed. Shivers shook her tired body, and big hot tears immediately ran down her cheeks. She was gasping for air as she frantically looked around the quiet, dark room. Unable to focus on anything she felt around for the light switch to the bedside table lamp. She was in Troy's guest room again, she was safe. Pulling her knees up against her chest she willed herself to calm down, but the tears kept rolling as she practically wheezed out every breath.

Angrily she swiped away the wetness on her left cheek, but froze when she moved towards the right one. She heard footsteps in the hall. Her breath caught in her throat even thought she knew she was being irrational. She _wasn't _alone in this house.

…-ΰ-…

He wasn't sure what made him wander towards the guest room instead of his own bedroom. The clock had read 2.30 AM when he had gotten up to use the bathroom, and he was certain she was sound asleep, but something inside him told him to go check on her.

Yawning he padded down the dark hall until he stood outside her door. Hesitating he strained his ear to listen for any abnormal sounds. For a moment he was certain he heard the sound of sheets being shuffled, and knitted his eyebrows together in worry. Maybe she wasn't asleep after all.

"Ella?" he asked quietly and knocked his knuckles softly on the wooden door.

"_Troy?" _her voice sounded meek and timid and he immediately knew something wasn't right.

"Yeah, are you alright?"

"_Yes…no…I don't know," _the words came out in short gasps, a tell tale sign that she was crying. Frowning Troy scratched the back of his neck.

"Can I come in?" he asked gently.

"_Yeah…" _

The sight that met him on the other side of the door immediately triggered every comfort instinct in him. Gabriella sat at the head of the bed, knees pulled tightly to her chest as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her body shook as she gasped for air, and he was at her side in three long strides.

"What happened, Ella?" he asked as he sat down next to her, his thumbs brushing away the wetness on her skin.

"Nightmare," she whispered. "He…he came in…kicked me…"

"Oh, Babe," he said softly as he moved so he was leaning on the pillows against the headrest. "Come here."

Wordlessly she eased her body into his arms and accepted the comfort he offered. His warm hand traveled up and down her bare upper arm, and she sighed softly.

"I'm acting like I'm five," she said quietly, a faint blush coloring her face.

"No, you're not; anyone would be affected after what you went through tonight," Troy soothed, fully understanding that she was scared. "You're allowed to be scared."

Closing her eyes she tried to calm her breathing as she focused on anything but the flashing memories from her dream. _It never even happened, _she told herself stubbornly. She wasn't sure how long she stayed in his arms, but it took a long while before he spoke up again.

"You alright?"

She nodded against his chest just as a yawn escaped her. Troy smiled and reached over to stroke her cheek.

"Go to sleep Ella," he whispered. In her rational mind Gabriella knew it wasn't a good idea. It was too soon to share a bed, but as his index finger ran over her forehead her eyes closed on their own accord. Maybe it wouldn't be so horrible.

…-ΰ-…

It wasn't the light pouring in through his window that woke Troy that morning. It wasn't the sound of seagulls or the noise from the garbage truck, either. It was the warm tickling that spread across his chest that roused him from his slumber. The extra weight on his chest was the first thing he noticed when his brain finally came to. Stretching his neck to the side he looked down and was met with the peaceful face of a sleeping Gabriella. Her features were completely relaxed and he carefully reached over to trace the outline of her face. She was stunning; there was no getting around that fact. In the soft morning light her golden skin seemed to tease him and he let his hand trail from her face, down across the arm that was sprawled across his stomach until he finally settled with playing with the tips of her fingers. She shifted slightly in her sleep and snuggled closer to his body. Her soft curves fit perfectly against him and, he could feel a warm tingling spread where skin touched skin. Their legs were somewhat entwined, and he fought an active battle to keep his body from reacting to her. Breathing slowly in and out he closed his eyes. There was not a doubt in his mind that it would be a long time before they shared a bed again, and the selfish part of his mind wanted to enjoy it while he could.

Gabriella was fighting against the consciousness that wanted to take over her mind. She was perfectly content in this semi-conscious state and did not feel ready to face the reality of her current situation just yet. A small smile spread across her face when she felt a hand running slowly up and down her back, and she reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Mmm that tickles," she breathed out and her pillow suddenly rose and fell rapidly as Troy chuckled. A yawn escaped her, and she felt the hand that had pulled her out of her slumber pull her closer to Troy's warm body. Groaning slightly she tried to hide her face in his chest and was rewarded with a kiss to the top of her head. Admitting defeat she twisted her head to look up at him.

"What time is it?" she whispered.

"I'm not sure." He yawned as he twisted his head to take a look at the alarm clock. "Quarter to eight."

"Too early," Gabriella mumbled before letting her eyes close again. If it hadn't been for the hand that was dancing across his chest Troy would have thought she had fallen back asleep. Smiling slightly he tilted his head to rest against hers and let his hand run gently through her hair. The silken strands slipped through his fingers, and Gabriella sighed in contentment against him.

"You feeling better now?" he asked gently.

Gabriella tilted her head to look at him.

"Yeah," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Good, that's good," he said and reached over to poke her nose with his finger.

Gabriella giggled and bit down on her lip. Chuckles escaped Troy's mouth and before either one really had time to think about it, their lips had been connected.

It started out gentle, tender, loving. That's what she felt; loved. She knew it was foolish, he didn't love her, he _couldn't _love her. Not yet. But later, when she would look back, loving would be the word she would use to describe that morning.

Noses rubbed against each other as Troy gently flipped them over so that he was hovering above her. There was nothing rushed about the situation, every touch was gentle, every kiss drawn out almost lazily. Heat was slowly spreading through their bodies, and as Gabriella felt his lips move from her mouth and across her cheek she tilted her head backwards and just felt. Felt as his lips left burning hot spots down her neck and bit her lip to keep from moaning out loud. He was evoking feelings in her that she hadn't let surface in far too long, and she was quickly losing the battle against her body. She knew she shouldn't, but as his mouth found the special spot behind her ear she had no choice. The moan was out before she could stop it, and she felt his body's reaction to the sound against her thigh.

Troy had lost all sense of sensibility. Somewhere in the recess of his mind there had been a small voice telling him that he shouldn't be letting this happen, but seeing her reaction, _hearing _her reaction to his touch drove him to the point where he couldn't think further than that exact moment. Her small hands were travelling up and down his back, leaving scorching trails as they went, and as they traced the elastic of his boxers he groaned against her neck. Desperate for some sort of contact, Gabriella twisted her head to capture his lips in a kiss. The sweetness that had once been there had been replaced with frantic passion as their tongues dueled. Both desperately longed to feel the others touch, and Gabriella gasped as his hand suddenly closed about her bare breast. She arched her, back and Troy quickly grasped the hem of her top to remove it completely. For a short moment he stopped to look at her. Dark curls framed her blushing face as she lay there, her upper body completely exposed to him. Her eyes opened slowly, but upon noticing him staring she quickly averted them.

"You're so beautiful," he breathed out before catching her bottom lip between his own. Her momentary shyness disappeared as fast as it had appeared, and her hands were quickly sliding down his chest until she met with the fabric of his boxers. Hesitating slightly, she slowly let her fingers dance across his hardened member, and he broke their kiss with a groan. Pleased with his reaction she let her other hand slip under the waistband and felt herself getting wet as his sharp intake of breath reached her ears. The warm tingly feeling spread from low in her stomach, and it was her turn to moan as his lips were suddenly enclosed around one of her hardened nipples.

Her warm hand was driving him into insanity, and he really wasn't sure how much longer he could take her teasing touch. Her heaving chest told him that she was just as far gone as he was, and he gently moved his hand from her breast and down across her stomach until he slipped it into her pj shorts and came in direct contact with her scorching center. Upon feeling his touch her back arched, something which only served to create further friction between her clit and his hand. The hand that had been touching him slipped upwards as another moan escaped her mouth. Twirling his tongue around her nipple, Troy shifted his weight slightly so that he could hook his fingers under the waistline of her shorts and pull them down her legs. Gabriella willingly lifted her hips and sighed in contentment as she felt his fingers ghost over the damp silk that still covered her. Craving more, she tilted her hips and let out a frustrated sound when the friction she sought was nowhere to be found.

"Troy…" she groaned.

"Hmm?"

"Please."

"What?" he asked as he raised his head to look at her face.

"Touch me." The words were breathed out and he swore he nearly came as she said them. Leaning down to kiss her lips, he let his hand slide slowly up to dance across the sensitive skin on her inner thighs. She moaned into his mouth and her hips bucked against his touch.

Gabriella couldn't remember the last time she had craved something as bad as she craved to feel him slip into her right then. All thoughts of right and wrong had left her mind, and she focused solely on the tingly sensation that was growing more and more unbearable with every second that passed. Feeling the need to touch him, she once again moved her hands to his boxers, but this time she pushed the material downwards instead of moving under it. From her position she was unable to see exactly what she was doing, but the moment his erection was freed of its case she felt him. The hot hard penis pressed against her thigh, and as she gently ran her fingers over it Troy thrust his hips against her with a groan. She moaned at the feeling and nearly whimpered as his lips once again closed about her nipple, his teeth teasing the sensitive bud. In her dazed state she barely managed to keep on stroking his member, and when she felt his index finger slip beneath her panties to stroke through her wet folds she forgot all about it. Her hands moved to his back where they danced over his muscles.

Her ragged breathing and frustrated cries spurred him on, and Troy let his finger trace her opening several times before he finally let two fingers slide into her. As he did, Gabriella bucked her hips and moaned loudly. Her nails dug into his back, but that only served to arouse him. He ached to feel her scorching heat around another body part, but kept on pumping his fingers at a steady pace as he licked and suckled on her nipples. Feeling her walls starting to contract around him, Troy quickly moved his thumb to her clit and flicked across it several times.

"Oh God," she practically purred, and Troy felt himself twitch as he thrust against her leg.

Gabriella felt desperate for her release, but at the same time never wanted this feeling to end. A cold sensation spread across her breast and she realized Troy was no longer using his mouth on her. Before she had any chance to contemplate that fact, his hot breath filled her ear as he whispered to her.

"Let it go, baby."

She shuddered at the husky sound and tumbled over the edge when he drew a lazy circle around her clit again. The drawn out cry along with the look of complete ecstasy that spread on her face was nearly too much for Troy, and he slowly withdrew his fingers as he moved to hover more directly above her. She felt him move, felt the broad head of his penis rub against her folds, and opened her eyes. Her breathing was still labored, making her chest rise and fall rapidly as she tried to calm her body down, but upon seeing the clouded look in his eyes she could do nothing but lift her head and join their lips in a fierce kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck she pulled him towards her and moaned when his chest rubbed against her breasts, and his hot shaft pressed against her clit. She tilted her hips and felt the hot tingles return at the friction created. He groaned deep in his throat, and Gabriella repeated the action only to have him break the kiss.

"Of fuck," he breathed out, hips bucking against hers. She clawed at his back, lifted her upper body, desperate to feel the weight of him on her again. Closing his eyes, Troy moved his face to the crook of her neck, and started nipping at the skin there as he thrust against her again and again. Hot liquid seeped out of her, rubbed against his erection, made it slide with ease through her folds until he was pressing against her opening. It took all his efforts to keep from pushing in.

"Protection," he nearly wheezed out.

"Pill…"

And at that simple word he pushed forward, grunting as the tight heat wrapped around him. Gabriella cried out in pleasure and arched her back to aid him. Inch by inch he sank into her, eyes nearly rolling to the back of his head when he could sink no further. Her mouth had latched onto his neck and he knew he wouldn't last long. Savoring the feeling he slowly started moving within her and groaned loudly as her legs wrapped around his lower back. Burying his face in the crook of his neck he withdrew from her heat only to slip more forcefully back in.

She cried out, and he groaned, his lips placing open mouth kisses on any part of her skin he could reach. Gabriella's hands gripped his back tightly as his thrusts increased in speed and force. She was close, so very close.

"Troy," she gasped.

He felt her spasms, knew what she meant.

"Me…too," he nearly grunted before attaching his lips to hers once more. Her hips rose to meet his in a rhythm that grew nearly uncontrollable until she shattered; her body shaking as her orgasm pushed him over the edge as well. The kiss was broken as they both panted heavily. For a few moments he lay exhausted on top of her, her arms wrapped tightly around his upper body as they fought to regain their breath.

With tremendous effort Troy eased himself out of her and rolled over to his back, pulling her with him as he went. She came to rest on his now clammy chest and spread her hand over his heart. She felt the rapid beating beneath her palm and smiled as it mirrored her own. Her hair was matted to her forehead and she closed her eyes as she felt him stroking it away from her eyes. Exhaustion clouded her brain, and his gentle touches did definitely not coax her into a more coherent state. Placing one final kiss on his chest she let her body relax, and let him lull her back to sleep. She could deal with the aftermath later.

…-ΰ-…

He was alone. That was the first thing Troy noticed when he woke hours later. Gabriella was no longer snuggled to his body, and as he glanced around the room he realized that she probably hadn't been for quite a while. The items of clothing that had been pulled off earlier in the morning were gone, and his boxers had been placed neatly at the foot of the bed. Rubbing his eyes he yawned and slowly sat up. He leaned against the headboard as he let his body and brain wake up. Tilting his head he let his eyes roam across the bed until they came to rest on his abandoned pair of underwear. A sigh escaped him, and he ran his hands through his messy hair. Sleeping with her had not been something he had planned on doing this weekend. It wasn't something he had planned on doing at any point in the near future, actually. But he had still done it, and now had to face the consequences of their actions. He didn't know what she was thinking, in the heat of the moment everything had been perfect. She had done nothing to stop him, but her absence from the bed when he woke told him that she was most likely having second thoughts.

With a sigh he reached for his boxers and slowly pulled them on. As fast as it had happened, he couldn't make himself regret having sex with her and he hoped that deep down, she didn't either. It had been a long time since he had felt what she made him feel, and he strongly suspected that the affection he already had for her was something that would only continue to grow. He wouldn't lie; it felt good to let his emotions free, to surrender himself completely in the heat of the moment. But surrender had an evil backside. One that led to analyzing and worry when it was too late to go back and change what had happened.

…-ΰ-…

Goosebumps covered Gabriella's bare arms as she stared at the view in front of her. She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there; all alone on the porch swing, but from the chills that ran through her she knew it had been quite a while. Once she had woken from her slumber and managed to crawl out of Troy's arms she had taken a quick shower and pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a top. The big house had felt far too empty around her, and it hadn't taken her long before she was seated outside, eyes admiring the view from his back yard.

The serene look on her face showed no indication of the chaotic mass of thoughts that were swirling around inside her head, and as a seagull passed she drew her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees.

She hadn't seen that morning coming. Hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of emotions that had surfaced once she had managed to wrap hear head around what had happened. In many ways the morning had been perfect. He had been gentle and tender, and not for one single second had she felt like she was being forced into something she didn't want to do. She had gone with him willingly, and he had worshipped her in return. A tingle ran through her as she thought back a few hours, back to when his hands had travelled all over her, touched her in ways that had made her shudder in delight.

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, but froze when she heard footsteps coming up next to her.

"Why are you out here all alone?" he asked gently, and she merely shrugged her shoulders as he rounded the swing and sat down next to her.

"That went a bit fast, didn't it?" he said softly, and she turned her head to look at him.

His expression was unreadable, and she felt her stomach sink a little at his words. Yes, it had been fast. Way to fast. But a part of her didn't regret it. Biting her lip she let her head fall down on his shoulder, and she felt his arm wrap around her back.

Sitting like that, Troy tried his best at judging the situation. She was unusually silent, and he couldn't decide whether to stay silent or speak up. Having sex had definitely complicated things even more.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," he said, his voice barely more than a mumble, and he felt her stiffen. _Fuck. _Wrong thing to say.

Gabriella forced her eyes shut to keep the tears from welling up in her eyes. He regretted it. Sitting up again she turned her head away and bit her lower lip.

"Ella…"

"Save it," she said quietly. If he was going to give her a speech about why it wouldn't work she'd rather not hear it.

With a sigh Troy ran a hand through his hair. She was taking this all wrong. Looking at the back of her head, he reached out a hand to try and grasp a hold of hers. She moved it. It was not out of reach from him, but her meaning was clear.

"Gabriella," he tried.

"It's ok," she whispered, tears already staining her cheeks.

"Then why are you crying?"

She sniffled and wordlessly stood up.

"Because I didn't want it to turn out like this." With that she cast a final glance at him and walked away, leaving a baffled Troy behind to wonder what exactly had just happened.

**AN: **So you might not have seen that one coming…. Please review and let me know what you thought of it!

Xxx Caroline xxX


	12. One step at a time

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

**This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon **_**High School Musical,**_** copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and **_**High School Musical 2**_**, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorised by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorised copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks**

**AN: **Again **thanks **to everyone who reviewed! **Lexi, **thanks for you kind words, I wanted to reply to your review, but you had left no email address so I hope you see this :) Meant a lot to me.

Sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I really thought I'd have it done sooner, but it turned out to be a bit harder to write than I had anticipated.

Anyways, I'm going to shut up now so you can read LOL.

Hope you like it!

…-ΰ-…

**Chapter 11: One step at a time **

He let her go.

Let her call a cab, and drive away from the house.

Leaving him surrounded by silence that offered no advice.

Not for a single second had he wanted to hurt her; make her feel unwanted, yet that was exactly what he feared he had done.

Groaning he buried his face in his hands and breathed heavily. The image of her shimmering eyes wouldn't leave his mind. She had looked so sad, so broken as she stepped away from him, and he hated the fact that he was the reason she had cried. If it hadn't been for his stupid comment she would probably be snuggled in his arms right now, not god knows where, all alone.

Running a frustrated hand through his hair he abruptly stood up from the couch, and glanced around the empty living room. His eyes came to rest on the pictures of Violet and a smile crept onto his face.

His beautiful baby girl wasn't a baby anymore. She was growing into her own person, and since she had started school and dance he had seen sides of her that he didn't know she had. Her confidence level was rising and as much as he wished it was all his doing, he knew deep down that Gabriella's praising words meant the world to her.

Gabriella.

She hadn't been in their lives for more than a few months, and although the thought scared him, it had come to a point where he couldn't just cut her out of it.

He cared too much.

Violet cared too much.

And from the looks of it; _Gabriella _cared too much.

…-ΰ-…

She wasn't sure where she was heading. The taxi had dropped her off near the school, but her aimless wandering had brought her further and further away from the familiar building. Somewhere in the distance she could hear the waves as they crashed into shore and she followed the sound until her shoes touched the sandy beach. Dark clouds clung to the sky and cast an eerie shadow across the usually lively playground in front of her. The strong wind danced around the swing set and made hinges squeak as the worn swings swayed under its force. Giving the darkening sky a quick glance, Gabriella stepped forward until she could grab a hold of the chain holding the swing up. She sat down slowly, as if testing if it would hold her weight. Certain that she wouldn't fall; she slipped her feet out of the sneakers, dug her bare toes into the cool sand, and slowly pushed her body back and forth.

The cold metal sent a wave of shivers up her arms, and she bit her lip gently as her eyes clouded over with tears.

She wasn't sure exactly why she had run.

He had wanted to explain, but she hadn't let him. She had cut him off and drawn her own conclusions. Conclusions she now started to doubt. Closing her eyes she though back to when his hands had danced across her body. The gentle touch had made her skin tingle with want. Made rationality fly out the window, but most of all it had made her feel wanted… he had touched her in the same urgent way she had touched him, and when they had nothing left to give, he had pulled her close and let her fall asleep with her head resting on his chest.

Taking a shaky breath she looked at the violent sea.

She should have stayed to listen.

…-ΰ-…

For the past 30 minutes Troy had tried to decide on what he should do next. He knew he couldn't just let her roam around all day; her apartment had a broken door, so unless she booked herself into a hotel she had nowhere to go. He knew she needed space and time to think, if that wasn't the case she wouldn't have left the way she did, but that didn't wipe the worry away from his mind.

It was the sudden roar of thunder that made the decision for him.

Grabbing his car keys and cell phone from the table he headed for the door.

Until he knew she had somewhere to go, he wasn't about to just sit around and wait.

…-ΰ-…

The continuous darkening of the clouds made Gabriella eyebrows furrow. She was not dressed to be outside in the rain. Standing up she picked up her shoes and slowly made her way towards the raging sea. The angry wind seemed to pull at her hair, making it dance behind her head as she walked along the shoreline. The morning with Troy already felt like a lifetime ago, and a part of her wished she had never left.

It was then that the air thickened around her, the first drop of water hit forehead as she tilted her face upwards to look at the sky. The cold droplet bypassed her eye and continued down her nose when she once again looked at the beach in front of her. A shiver ran down her spine as the thunder growled loudly, claiming the city in its wrath. Swiftly turning around, she quickly made her way towards the boardwalk and slipped her shoes back on. The rain was bouncing off the ground now, and she wrapped her hands protectively around her body as she fixated her eyes on the ground. It didn't take long before her clothes and she's were wet through, and with each step she took the pavement answered with a slosh-y sound.

Unless she managed to hail a cab it was going to be a long, wet and cold walk home.

…-ΰ-…

Troy had run out of ideas.

He had driven to her apartment, to the dance studio and to the school. Every road in the area between the locations had been checked.

But he couldn't find her.

Currently parked outside the dance studio, he slammed his hands down on the wheel just as a flare of lightning shot across the sky.

"Damn it, where are you?" he said quietly to himself and started the car back up. The rain was hammering down on the car and he hoped that she had at least hailed a cab and gotten out of the rain.

Backing out of the parking lot he once again headed for her apartment building. Maybe by some strike of luck she'd be there this time around.

…-ΰ-…

With numb fingers Gabriella pushed her wet hair away from her face before crossing the street. She was certain she was soaked to the bone. Hailing a cab had proved harder than she anticipated as she was obviously not the only pedestrian wanting to get out of the pouring rain. With a sniffle she rounded the corner to her apartment building and stopped dead in her tracks. Sitting alone on the steps, under a big black umbrella was a worried looking Troy Bolton. The rain was beating down with greater force around them and Gabriella shivered as the wind tried to grab a hold of her.

He lifted his head slowly when he noted the footsteps approaching. Her clothes were clinging to her small frame and he was on his feet within seconds.

She bit her lip as their eyes met through the almost cloudy fall of water. She hadn't thought he would be there; waiting, worrying.

Taking a tentative step towards him she briefly cast her eyes down before once again looking at him. He was walking towards her in long strides, and before she really had time to wrap her head around the situation; she found herself wrapped in his warm, dry jacket.

"God, Ella…" he breathed out as he pulled her towards his chest and shielded her from the rain with the umbrella.

"I couldn't hail a cab…" she whispered and breathed in the scent that lingered on his clothing.

"So I see," he mumbled into her hair as he rubbed her back with his free hand.

"Come on, my car's right over here," he added a few seconds later.

"Troy… I …" Gabriella started.

"I know. We'll talk later, but not until you have some dry clothes on. You'll catch pneumonia in this cold."

Troy left no room for argument as he gently guided her to the car and opened the passenger door. He nodded his head towards the seat, and Gabriella shot him a small smile as she slid into the much warmer space.

Quickly rounding the car, Troy closed the umbrella and nearly jumped behind the wheel to escape the waterfall outside. Neither spoke as he started the car and pressed various buttons to bring the temperature up. Within minutes the hot air was easing Gabriella's shivers and she relaxed in her seat as Troy gently hummed along to the familiar tunes on the radio. Tilting her head to the side she let her eyes focus on his face and felt a soft smile spread across her lips.

If he had regretted everything, he wouldn't have come to get her.

Troy felt her eyes on him, but kept his eyes on the road. He had a feeling that whatever inner battle she was fighting; she needed to fight alone.

As they approached a red light, Troy moved his hand to the gearstick and slowed to a halt. It was then that a cold, small hand reached out and wrapped around his. Surprised, he turned his head to look at her and was met with the same look of contentment that she had had hours before when she had dozed off to sleep.

The light turned green and he quickly drove off before flipping his hand over so he could interlace their fingers.

"We'll be ok, Ella," he said and squeezed her hand softly.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Their eyes met for a brief second and somehow she knew that he was speaking the truth. His eyes didn't lie.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella couldn't remember the last time she had been pampered by a boy. She was used to taking care of herself, not having someone to take care of her. Sure, she had had numerous spa trips with Sharpay, but that didn't compare to someone voluntarily pampering her.

The minute they had stepped into Troy's house he had ushered her upstairs and into his bathroom where he proceeded to fill the bathtub with hot water. She had watched as he found dry towels and went to get her overnight bag. He had scratched the back of his neck nervously as he told her that he didn't have any of the fancy bath salts and girly things that she was probably used to, but that Violet's Ariel bubble bath was on the shelf if she wanted bubbles. Not knowing what else to do, Gabriella had walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his waist as she hugged him and whispered 'Thank you'. Troy had smiled before kissing her forehead gently. Then he had left her alone to soak up the warmth of the water.

That was 20 minutes ago.

Now; dressed in a tank top and another pair of sweatpants; smelling suspiciously much like artificial strawberry, she felt nervous about facing him again.

Glancing at her reflection in the mirror she tugged at the bottom of her top. It amazed her how Troy could make her feel like she was back in high school simply by smiling at her or taking a hold of her hand.

With a gentle shake of the head Gabriella turned towards the door and unlocked it.

She had been hiding away long enough.

…-ΰ-…

Downstairs Troy was desperately trying to figure out how to fix things between them before she descended the staircase. They had skipped several steps, and although he didn't regret doing so, he needed her to know that he cared about her. He knew that his words had hurt her, but he hadn't meant them in the way she thought he had. It had been a very long time since Troy had done this dating thing, but Gabriella didn't know that. She didn't know about Jennifer and how he had struggled. Gabriella only knew that he had thought it had been a bad idea. Glancing at the picture of Violet's mom Troy scratched the back of his neck.

It was time he told Gabriella about her.

Hearing a faint sneeze from the doorway he turned his body around and let his eyes rest on the petite figure standing there. Her fingers were playing with the hem of her shirt and her face was tilted towards the floor. Shyness radiated from her, and Troy couldn't help but smile.

"Get in here, Ella," he said softly and let his body sink into soft cushions of the couch.

Gabriella's feet shuffled slightly as she walked across the room and came to stand in front of him. Her questioning eyes locked with his and he scooted further in on the couch so she could sit down next to him. She was hesitant in her movements but sat down and curled her legs underneath her body.

"Feeling better?" Troy asked, fully aware of the double meaning the phrase carried.

She bit her lip.

"I'm sorry I took off like that," she said quietly.

"It's ok."

"No…it isn't. You were trying to justify yourself and I just got up and left. That's not ok, Troy," Gabriella said, and this time her eyes met his. A mixture of pain and guilt danced across them, and Troy fought the urge to reach for her hand as he quietly wondered who had hurt her in the past.

"Ella, I said some things I shouldn't have. I don't blame you for not wanting to listen to me. It's just…" he trailed off.

"Just what?" she asked hesitantly. "If you're second guessing this whole thing I'd rather you just tell me…"

"No. That's not it at all. God, no. This morning was… wow. No, I'm not second guessing this thing between us. It's just… I haven't done this in a long long time, Ella."

"Dated?"

"Yeah."

"Not since Violet's mother?"

Her question was nearly a whisper and Troy took a deep breath.

Gabriella wouldn't deny that she was curious. She was very curious. Neither Troy nor Violet ever mentioned Violet's mom, and so Gabriella had never felt it was her place to ask, until now.

"Yeah, not since Violet's mom," Troy said.

"That's her isn't it?" Gabriella asked softly and pointed towards the picture that had caught her attention the first time she had been in his living room. Nodding, Troy reached for the photo before handing it to Gabriella.

"Her name was Jennifer," he started. "She was a year older than me, but never seemed to care much. We had known each other for almost one semester when we started dating, and somehow we stuck together through everything life threw at us."

Troy paused and looked over at Gabriella whose eyes seemed to be glued to the photograph in her hand. He had no idea what was going on in her mind, or what sort of story she was expecting him to tell, he just hoped it wouldn't change things between them.

"What happened?" Gabriella asked quietly.

"Violet happened," he said and took a deep breath. It had been years, but thinking back to that fateful night still hurt him.

_Was there a limit to how much a heart could take in one day? How much a person could deal with? Troy was certain he had reached his as he looked around, unshed tears burning in his eyes. Everything had gone so horribly wrong. _

_He wasn't supposed to sit in the white, sterile room alone. She was supposed to be there with him…she had been there…but that was two hours ago. She'd been lying on the bed, her swollen stomach hidden beneath registration straps and machines he had no idea how worked. Her sweet voice had told him over and over again that they would be ok, reassured him of a reality that would be. Looking back he should have been the one to comfort her. He had seen the fear in her eyes, seen her pain, but his own worry had stopped him, everything went wrong. _

_She had been sick; so much sicker than Troy had realized. He'd been fooled by the slight smile on her face, her brave mask. She'd been too good an actress and now she was gone. He'd never get her back again. _

_Rubbing his face with his hands, Troy wished desperately for someone to wake him up from this nightmare. He wanted to wake up to their familiar bedroom and find her sleeping next to him, let her even breaths lull him back to sleep. _

"_Mr. Bolton?" _

_Troy's head shot up at the sudden voice and he struggled to focus his blurry sight on the young woman in the doorway. _

"_Yeah?" his voice sounded raspy and he couldn't help but hate the pitying look the nurse was giving him. He didn't need her pity. _

"_I just wanted to tell you that your daughter is stable enough for visitors now," she said kindly and he did a double take._

_His daughter. _

_How he had longed to finally see her, hold her, love her. _

_But this was not the scenario he had pictured. _

_In his mind things would have happened on time; not eight weeks early, and certainly not because of horrible complications due to pre-eclampsia. The doctors had re-assured them that everything would be fine. They would monitor Jennifer and make sure they'd be ok. _

_They weren't ok. _

_His baby girl was in an incubator, hooked up to machines he didn't know the name of. _

_And Jennifer…_

_Jennifer was gone. _

Gabriella sniffled and looked up at him with tearful eyes. She didn't know exactly what she had expected to hear; but that wasn't it. He had looked a happy future in the eye, only to have it being taken away from him in the blink of an eye. It pained her to know that he had suffered through what was supposed to be the most wonderful time in him life. She knew what loss felt like, but that kind of loss at a time like that…. It wasn't something she could easily wrap her head around.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, carefully reaching for his hand and interlacing their fingers. He gave her a squeeze and she leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not telling you this so that you will feel sorry for me," Troy said quietly against the top of her head. She heard the tremble in his voice and knew he was fighting his emotions.

"I know."

"I just figured that if we're going to do this…there are some things you needed to know," he said as he felt her thumb slowly stroke his own.

"I don't know what to say," Gabriella said in a low voice. "I feel like an idiot for running like I did this morning…"

"You're not an idiot, Ella."

He kissed her head.

"I'm sure you had your own reasons."

She remained quiet as she thought about the things that had made her run. Yes, she did have experiences that haunted her as well, but it all seemed less important compared to what he had gone through. As much as he must have been hurting, he had still raised his daughter beautifully, and just the thought of sweet little Violet put a smile on Gabriella's face.

"What are you thinking?" Troy whispered in her ear and she shivered.

"How amazing you are," she admitted.

"I'm no such thing."

"Yes, you are. You're like super-dad and you seem to care about everything. Even when I called in the middle of the night you came to get me...and then you've been through such horrible things. If that was me I don't know how I'd ever get back on my feet…"

Right at that second he was glad she couldn't see his face. He had never seen himself as amazing: far from it. He had always seen himself as a struggling single dad. Not struggling in the financial way, but the emotional one. Raising a little girl had not been something he had been prepared to do on his own; but he had had no other choice.

"Sometimes you just function," he finally said. "You live day by day until things get easier. You have to. As for coming over… how could I not. You sounded so scared."

Words didn't seem to be able to convey what she wanted to tell him, so instead of answering him, Gabriella tilted her head so she could place a loving kiss on the column of his throat. In response she felt an arm wrap around her back before pulling her closer so that she could rest against his chest. For several minutes they just stayed like that. Both lost in their own thoughts as they tried to wrap their minds around everything that had happened that morning.

It was Troy that spoke up first.

"Are we ok?"

His voice sounded nervous and Gabriella smiled as she let her arm wrap across his stomach.

"Yeah," she said. "We're fine."

"Good."

He kissed her head again and she sighed in contentment before tilting her head to look at him. Troy smiled down at her and moved so that he could nudge her nose gently.

"If I kiss you… will you run again?" he whispered.

"No." The answer was breathed out against his lips and he gave her no time to draw another breath before gently covering her lips with his own. The pent up passion and attraction from that morning was now gone, and in its place Gabriella found a gentleness that made her heart melt.

Seconds turned into minutes, and by the time they reluctantly broke their kiss, neither was sure how long they had been sitting there.

"I'm not sure how I'm going to refrain from doing that around Violet," Troy sighed, making Gabriella bite gently down on her lower lip. She had almost forgotten that Violet didn't, and couldn't, know what was going on.

"We're just going to have to," she whispered as her finger danced across his shirt clad chest.

"Yeah…you know why she can`t know right?"

"I know, Troy. We don't even know what's going to happen and she's far too young to understand any of it. Don't worry. I know she can't know."

Troy nodded and brushed his nose against hers. Smiling slightly she tilted her head and placed a sweet kiss against his lips before shuffling down so she could rest her head on his chest. They still had a lot to work though, there were many questions that needed answers, but right at that moment, she was content with just sitting curled up against his body with his strong arm draped across her back.

…-ΰ-…

It was the shrill ringing of his cell phone that startled Troy awake a few hours later. He wasn't sure when the two of them had fallen asleep, but he suspected it had been quite a while ago as the sun had moved to the other side of the house.

Stretching his muscles slightly he tried to reach for object that was currently vibrating closer and closer to the tables edge.

Gabriella groaned sleepily as he shifted his body, and he rubbed her back soothingly as his fingers clasped around the phone.

Leaning back he pressed 'talk' and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"_Daddy can I get a kitten?" _

Troy's eyes widened at Violet's random request and he cleared his throat and willed his brain to wake up fully.

"A kitten?" he asked and Gabriella looked curiously up at him with sleepy eyes.

"_Yes. Me and Granma had to take Teddy to the doctor, he ate something funny, and they had kittens there, and the kittens didn't have a mommy OR a daddy!" _The little girl explained as if it was the most horrible thing in the whole world.

"_Granma said I had to ask first…can I? Please daddy? Please? They were all alone…" _

Troy unwrapped his arm from around Gabriella and ran it through his hair thoughtfully.

"I don't know, honey," he said.

"_Please? It's only little, it wont take any space."_

"It'll grow big, Violet," he chuckled and Gabriella held in a giggle. The sound on his phone was loud enough for her to hear and she knew that Troy was fighting a losing battle. Violet would get that kitty.

"_Just a little…please? I can take care of it." _

Troy sighed. How was he supposed to say no? At least it wasn't a puppy, he thought. A cat they could always manage. They were rather independent as it was.

"Alright," he said. "You can get a kitten."

"_Really? Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, thank you thank you! Granma he said yes! Can we get it right now?" _

Troy chuckled.

"Peanut, can I talk to Granma for a second?"

"_Yep." _

It only took a few seconds before the familiar voice of his mother filled his ear.

"_Hi, honey. You should see Violet; she's all over the place. She's already named the kitten _Tinkerbell_." _

Troy smiled and shook his head gently.

"Why am I not surprised," he said. "Listen, I'm not sure if I can make it to the pet-store right now…"

"_Don't worry, I've got it covered." _

"Thanks, Mom. I'll pay you back, ok?"

"_We'll see."_

"Mom, I'm serious. You shouldn't pay for all the stuff we need."

"_Let us first see how much it ends up being. I'll try to have her home by 6, does that sound ok?"_

"Yeah that's perfect."

"_Ok, then; see you later, hon."_

"Bye Mom," he said and hung up.

From her place on his chest, Gabriella let out the giggle she had been holding in, and Troy looked at her.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing, she just has you wrapped around her little finger. It's cute."

"She does, doesn't she?"

"Absolutely," Gabriella giggled and Troy silenced her with a kiss.

"What time is it?" she mumbled against his lips. He turned his head and glanced at the phone in his hand.

"1.30 PM, why?"

"Just wondering. Nothing's been normal about my day today so I was a little thrown. I should probably head back to the apartment at some point. Have to contact the landlord about my front door…"

"I had completely forgotten about that," Troy sighed and let his head fall backwards. He didn't like the thought of letting her stay there one bit, but he knew full well she couldn't keep on staying at his house.

"Yeah, slipped my mind for a while as well," she replied quietly, still reluctant to really let her mind slip back to those moments she had spent petrified in her apartment.

"It looks like the weathers cleared up a bit; maybe we should do it now just to get it over with?"

Gabriella nodded as she felt his hand run slowly up and down her bare arm. She was not looking forward to going back, and she had a feeling he knew that, but what choice did she have. It wasn't like she could just get up and move just because she was spooked.

"It'll be ok, babe," he said soothingly.

"Babe?" she asked, a small smile dancing on her face.

"Yeah."

"I can live with that," Gabriella said and bit down on her lip again. It had been a long time since someone had used such a word to address her, and she couldn't help but feel her heart flutter when he did.

"Good," he said before reluctantly untangling himself from her so he could stand up. Arms stretched above his head he closed his eyes and yawned before holding his hand out to Gabriella. She grasped a hold of it and he gently pulled her up until she stood in front of him.

"Ready?" he asked

"Not really," she answered truthfully, and he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. His fingers trailed down her chin and she closed her eyes briefly.

"Let's just go over and hear what they have to say, huh? And then just take it from there?"

"Sounds like a good plan," she said quietly as she felt his hand entwine with hers. It was a simple gesture, but it brought comfort, and right at that moment. It was all she was asking for.

**AN: **There you have it peeps! Hope you liked it! Please tell me what you think :)

Caroline xxx


	13. Time to start living

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon High School Musical, copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and High School Musical 2, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorized by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorized copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks

**AN: **Heya all! Sorry this took so long! Once again thanks so much for all your wonderful reviews! :D

Special thanks to** Mya**, for being my lil partner and helping me out when I'm stuck. Also thanks to** Mandee** for just being who you are :) Love ya all!

**Chapter 12: Time to start living **

Troy saw Gabriella hesitate before pushing the door to her apartment open. Her hand was visibly shaking despite the fact she knew it was safe. The police had already been inside and checked every room in addition to taking crime scene photos. He was still struggling to accept the fact that someone had actually entered her apartment after he had picked her up. The various 'what ifs' were still swirling around in his head as he stepped across the threshold and felt her hold on him tighten.

She had looked petrified when the police had told her that someone had been in her apartment and basically turned it upside down. He still wasn't sure what she was most scared of, the items she had lost, or just the fact that someone has been there. From the moment the police had informed them she had barely said a word, only nodded along as the officer had asked her to make a list of everything that had been stolen. His guess was that she was probably in some state of shock;unable to process exactly what had happened in the hours she had been gone.

"Oh my god…"

Her quiet gasp pulled him back to reality and he quickly glanced down at Gabriella face. Her eyes were wide and her free hand had moved to cover her mouth, but he could still see that her white teeth were biting down on her lower lip. Shifting his gaze he took in the scene that had made her gasp.

The couch had been flipped over, its pillows thrown on the floor alongside items from her chest of drawers. The CD's and DVD's that had once been neatly organized on shelves along the wall were pulled out and lay scattered on the floor. What the thieves were looking for behind her DVD's Troy really wasn't sure, it was almost as if they wanted to make the biggest mess possible just for the hell of it.

Hearing distinct sniffle coming from Gabriella he turned his head just in time to see a tear crawl over the barrier of her eyelashes. Her eyes seemed to be glued to a certain object and it didn't take him long to locate what looked like an old jewelry box on the floor.

Without warning Gabriella suddenly released his hand and made her way through the obstacle course her living room had been turned into.

"Ella?"

"It's broken," she sniffled as her fingers gently ran over the intricate silver.

Troy carefully stepped over several DVD's and made his way around the tipped over couch before sitting down next to her. He had been right in his assumption that it was a jewelry box as several items lay spread around where it had fallen. She carefully picked it up and it was clear that the hinges to the lid hadn't survived hitting the ground as the lid slid off to the side, only connected by a small piece of silver that was bent to nearly 90 degrees.

"It was grandmas," Gabriella whispered and forced the lid to close. "She gave it to me when I graduated High School…"

"Oh babe," he said and placed a soothing kiss against her temple. "At least they didn't take it."

"Yeah… they took my TV though."

The expression on her face as she looked around her living room broke his heart. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears and her bottom lip had been caged in by her teeth. He knew she had worked hard to get where she was and he couldn't imagine how hard it was for her to see things as torn apart as they were now.

"Come here, Ella," Troy said and pulled her onto his lap as he rested his back against the chest of drawers. Her head came to rest on his shoulder as she hid her face in his neck. She was breathing steadily against his skin, making it tickle slightly as her fingers drew invisible patterns on his chest.

"I don't know where to start," she said quietly.

"I'll help you, don't worry…just let it sink in. We can take our time. Violet won't be home for hours yet."

"Thank you…."

"Anytime, babe, anytime."

…-ΰ-…

Lucille Bolton had learned early on that saying no to her granddaughter was hard. Those deep blue eyes seemed to have a different effect on her than her sons had ever had. She had never quite understood why that was, but had long since come to accept it.

Her inability of saying no was what had landed her in the pets section at wall mart. After getting confirmation from Troy that, yes, Violet could get a kitten; the young girl had announced that they needed to go shopping. She needed to buy kitty toys and a pink collar with Tinkerbelle's name on it because that was what Oliver in _"Oliver and Company" _had.

Lucille had simply smiled before helping Violet buckle into the car. Her broken arm had made the simplest things difficult for her, and for a little while longer she needed help with things she had long since mastered.

"Grandma, does my kitty really need a cage? Won't she be scared?" Violet asked as she peaked into the pink animal travel cage in front of her.

"It's very dark in there…"

"Yes, Sweetheart, she needs the cage. You want her to be safe in the car right?" Violet nodded. "We'll put a blanket in there so it will be cozy."

"I still don't like it… its too dark."

"She'll be fine, honey," Lucille said and stroked Violet's lose curls lovingly.

"Ok," she said before letting her eyes roam over the various toys that were displayed. Her sweet features seemed to be deep in thought and Lucille silently wondered what was going on in her head. A few minutes later the small girl spoke up.

"Grandma?"

"Yes?"

"Why can we decide that kitties need to go in cages? Can someone bigger than us suddenly decide to put us in cages? Cause I really don't want to do that…"

Lucille looked at her granddaughter with wide eyes as she held back a chuckle. Children's logic never failed to amaze her.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be much fun would it? But there's no one here to do that to you sweetheart, and the only reason we're putting the kitty in there, is so that she's safe, and can't come and disturb Granma when she's driving. It's only for a short while."

"Can she have a toy in there? Like I have in my bed…maybe she won't be scared then."

"Of course she can honey, maybe she'll like a little mice? Or maybe some other animal? There are many different ones over there," Lucille said and pointed towards a basket that was filled to the brim with tiny stuffed animals that cats could play with. Violet nodded her head enthusiastically and quickly skipped towards it as Lucille turned to look at the thing that would actually be needed, like a litter box.

…-ΰ-…

Troy wasn't sure how long they had been cleaning when he picked up the final picture frame that had fallen off the wall.

Gabriella had already mopped the floor where a plant had been knocked over, but she had looked so exhausted he had ordered her to the coach. The whole ordeal had taken its toll on her and he just hoped that this would be the only drama she'd have to face.

Sighing he placed the picture on the coffee table and reached for the mop. The floor wasn't visibly dirty, but Gabriella had insisted on cleaning it anyways. She claimed that it felt dirty, something he understood perfectly.

"Where do you want me to empty the bucket?" Troy asked when he was certain he had covered every surface of the hardwood floor.

Gabriella looked up and him and shot him a weak smile.

"Just empty it in the toilet. The sink will get clogged if you do it there."

"Ok. I'll be back in a flash."

"Troy?"

"Hmm?"

"No one can get in right?"

Her voice was meek and vulnerable and he felt his heart ache for her.

"No, babe, I put the chain on."

"Ok."

"I'll just be a second, and then I'll be back."

He hurried with the task at hands as he knew the thought of being along in any of these rooms scared her immensely. That fear was one of the things that worried him the most. The landlord had said it would take a couple of days to get her door changed and for the new security door-system to be installed. If there was one thing Troy would not let her do, it was stay in an apartment with a broken door, and with a front door crooks couldn't clearly get through. The obvious answer to the problem was to let her stay with him again, but after the events that had taken place that morning, paired with the knowledge that Violet would be home, he was fairly certain that she would decline that offer. He'd just have to come up with another suggestion.

He just didn't know what.

Putting on a smile he walked back into the living room and picked up the discarded picture from earlier. He glanced down and felt a genuine smile spread across his face.

"You?" he asked and flipped the photo over so Gabriella could see.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I was eight years old and had just done my first solo in a dance competition."

"Did you win?"

"Yeah, in my age division at least."

Troy smiled at her before hanging the frame back on the nail where it belonged.

"Did you compete a lot?" he asked as he sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Her small frame seemed to melt into his side and she snuggled close.

"Depends on what you put into a lot, really," she answered with a small shrug.

"Mom thought I spent too much time dancing and not enough on studied. I didn't agree."

"And you Dad?" Troy tried carefully; fully aware that she hadn't mentioned him in any way that he could recall.

"My Dad…my Dad was like me. He saw how much I loved the stage… he understood better than anyone else. He knew how important it was to me, he just knew me…" she finished quietly.

"What happened?" Troy asked softly, his hand reaching for and entwining with hers.

"I…there…" she trailed off.

"It's ok. You don't have to tell me right now."

"I know. It just hurts…. One day he was there and the next he wasn't… which I guess you actually understand better than most. "

"That doesn't mean it'll hurt any less for you, babe. We really don't have to do this now if you're not ready for it. There will be other days," Troy soothed gently and kissed the top of her head.

"You told me about Jennifer…"

"I did, but that was different. You sort of needed to know what happened there. It doesn't mean that you have to tell me about this today."

Her head nodded against his chest and he tightened his hold on her. For a few minutes they just sat like that, neither saying a word as the world continued to roll by outside.

"There was a fire," Gabriella suddenly said. "At the warehouse where he worked. The smoke was thick and extremely toxic… they found him five feet away from an emergency exit. I was seventeen."

Troy closed his eyes as he took in what she had just said. She hadn't just lost her Dad; she'd lost the one parent she felt understood her.

Instinctively he pulled her closer and rested his head on top of hers.

"I'm sorry, baby," he whispered.

"Yeah…it's been a long time… but it still hurts," she whispered.

"Would surprise me if it didn't," he said and took a deep breath.

Gabriella bit her lip as she felt Troy move her legs so that they lay across his lap. She didn't quite know what he was up to until she was pulled onto his lap.

"Are you ok?" Troy whispered into her ear. His care made her smile and she snuggled even closer.

"Yeah, it always makes me feel a bit down when I talk about it, but I'll be fine. It's been nearly eleven years."

"I can't even begin to imagine how that must have been for you."

"It was horrible. Everything changed after that."

"With your mom?"

"Yeah… she started working more and was away a lot. It might have been her way to deal… I don't know…. I was alone a lot. Until the acceptance letters from various colleges started coming that was…" her voice sounded a bit bitter and she took a breath before she continued. "She found time for me again then. I guess she hoped she could influence my decision. I don't think she ever forgave me for turning down Stanford when they offered me a full scholarship."

"Whoa…you really were smart weren't you?" he asked in awe.

"I guess," she shrugged. "I worked hard… Mom wanted me to go down the road she hadn't had the chance to."

"But?"

"I don't think it would have made me happy…"

Troy smiled at her reply. Somehow he didn't think she'd be either.

"And are you happy now? Happy with the choices you made?" he asked.

Smiling she tilted her head so she could see his face.

"Yeah, I am. It's not where I saw myself ten years ago, but I'm happy."

"That's all that matters isn't it?" Troy asked. "I mean, I'm not where I thought I'd be when I was in high school either, but somehow I don't really want to change anything either. I can't imagine a life without Violet for instance."

"I know what you mean. It's like all of these experiences have brought you to this moment and made you who you are, and if anything was changed the outcome might be completely different, and you still couldn't guarantee yourself happiness in that scenario."

"Exactly, although I think I might have changed one thing," he grinned, suddenly bringing a more playful tone into the serious conversation.

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"I think I would have kissed you earlier."

His grin was so playful and boyish that she couldn't help but giggle.

"Cheesy, Troy."

"Still true."

"Well… at least it's a change I think I could live with," she laughed. A sound which did nothing but widen his smile.

As silence fell upon them Gabriella let her fingers dance across his chest, a habit both of them was growing to love.

"I don't want to stay here tonight," Gabriella suddenly said as her finger drew a small heart around where she knew one of this pecks were.

Troy sighed softly.

"I don't want you to stay here either. I'd like to take you back to the house with me actually."

"Troy…. Not with Violet…"

"I know. I just can't think of any other solution. Staying here without a proper door is just out of the question."

"A hotel maybe? Or an inn of some sort?"

"Hotel! That's it! Why didn't I think of that? I own hotels…it should have been the first thing I thought of! I'll get you a room at my L.A one."

"Troy, I can't let you keep covering everything for me when I end up in trouble…"

"Nonsense, it's a hotel room, it's not like I'm taking you across the world."

"I know… but…"

"Just accept it, Ella. If you can't stay at my place, you're staying at my hotel… that's final."

"Thank you…" she said softly before pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You're welcome. Now, the hotel is a bit away from school, but I drive Violet in the mornings so I'll just come and pick you up at the same time."

Gabriella shook her head gently.

"Sometimes I wonder if you're real or not…"

Troy chuckled.

"Why's that?"

"You're just too good to be true," she mumbled, making him grin in the process.

"I'd say I'm very much real," he said and poked her side gently, making her squirm in her seat.

"Don't tease," she playfully pouted, relieved that the housing situation had been solved with relative ease.

"Me? Tease? Never!" he said before attacking her tummy with his fingers. Her melodious laughter bounced off the walls and he was certain it was one of the most beautiful sounds he had ever heard.

…-ΰ-…

A sweet and warm smell met Lucille Bolton when she pushed the door to her songs house open. It was a smell she knew well, but it was not one she was accustomed to meeting at this specific location.

"Troy?" she called as she put the plastic bags she was holding onto the floor.

"Hi, Mom," Troy says as she appeared from the living room. "Do you need any help?"

"Your daughter is in the car, refusing to leave the cat, perhaps you could go get them?" she laughed.

Troy chuckled as he slipped on a pair of slippers and headed out the door. Lucille on the other hand had removed her shoes and was following that heavenly smell into the kitchen. Just as she suspected; a tray of fresh brownies stood on the counter along with three glasses filled with milk. Glasses that were neatly placed on coasters.

Troy had definitely not been alone, and as a mother Lucille couldn't wait to find out exactly who had been there and why.

"Trying to sneak a taste are you? Tsk tsk" Troy's teasing voice said as he walked into the kitchen with the kittens travel case.

"Oh hush, Troy. I was just on a hunt to find where that smell was coming from."

"I'm just kidding, mom," he said.

"Daddy, can we let her out? She has been in the scary cage long enough…" Violet exclaimed as she ran into the room. The two adults smiled at each other before Lucille crouched down.

"We have to wait a bit, sweetheart. We have to set up her toilet first don't we? Like they told us, remember?"

"Oh yeah! So she won't pee on the floor!"

"Yeah, we can't have her do that, can we?"

"Noooooo, Daddy wouldn't like that, would you Daddy?"

"Most definitely not, Peanut."

"I don't think I would either… where is her toilet Grandma?"

"I'll show you honey. Troy, is the hall an ok place?" Lucille asked.

"Yeah, that's fine, do you need any help?"

"We'll be fine," she said before taking the travel cage from him and walking towards the hall where she had left the bags with the things she had bought.

Troy shook his head as he watched their retreating backs, silently wishing that things were a bit different and that Gabriella could have been there as well. Sighing he fished his phone out of his pocket and typed a quick message.

_Violet is back with her Tinkerbelle, she's so excited she's about to take off flying I think. Have a feeling you'll hear all about it tomorrow. X x x_

It didn't take many minutes before the small item buzzed in his hand and he grinned as he flipped it open.

_Naw, can't wait :) Make sure you don't step on her! X x x _

Troy chuckled at her reply.

_I won't. She's not that small :P _

"Who were you texting that deserves that smile?"

Troy jumped at the sound of his mother's voice. She wore a teasing grin and he knew that she wouldn't accept anything but the truth, nor would she buy anything but the truth if he knew her right.

"Where's Violet?" he asked.

"In the living room trying to teach the cat the way to its bathroom. Why?"

"Because I can tell you the truth if you want, but it's not a truth Violet can know quite yet."

Lucille smiled at her son; happy that he still felt like he could tell her what was going on his life. It was a privilege to get to know about his more private life and feelings and she would forever treasure the fact that their relationship was as close as it was.

"Why don't we go out on the porch for moment? She won't hear us there," she suggested.

Troy nodded before picking up a brownie.

"Leave the door open so she knows we're out there," he said and stepped through the door that opened from the dining room.

He wasn't sure what to tell his mom, or how much for that matter. There were still so many things that he himself was not yet sure of, so what exactly could he tell his mom without defining the relationship as something it wasn't?

"I can see the wheels turning in your head, Troy. Why don't you just start at the beginning, or by telling me who made the brownies in there? I highly doubt it was you. Last time you baked it was a total disaster and we almost had to buy a new stove."

The comment made Troy chuckled and he glanced at his mom before leaning against the railing.

"Gabriella made them," he admitted with a smile. "She helped with the birthday party too."

Lucille nodded knowingly. She wasn't the least bit surprised. Violet had already told her about how Gabriella had come over to help them make the princess castle cake, and how Troy had only made a mess that tasted yucky.

"Violet told me that."

"Why did you ask then?" Troy questioned.

"Because I wanted to hear you say it. I heard the six year old version of this, Troy. Which I have to admit was very cute, but there's more isn't it? Exactly what role is she taking on in your lives?"

"Yeah there's more, Mom. I'm just keeping Violet out of it. She's too young, and cares too much about Gabriella."

"And you?" she asked.

"I care about her too."

"Why so worried then? She seems to care about you guys too. If she didn't she wouldn't have done so much for you. "

"Because it's been a long time mom, and it's not just about me anymore. I have to think about Violet as well…not to mention the fact that she's Violet's teacher."

"That's a minor detail, Troy. You know it is. School might frown upon it, but they can't fire her over that. What's the real reason, honey?"

Troy sighed. Sometimes he hated the fact that his mom seemed to know him better than he knew himself. She always made him think about reasons he had tried to look around.

"Because I don't want to lose her," he finally said.

Lucille smiled lovingly.

"Sometimes you have to take a risk Troy. You've put your life on hold for Violet; your personal life at least. It's time to start living again, sweetie. And this Gabriella, I don't think she wants to go anywhere."

With that she left him alone with his thoughts.

…-ΰ-…

Troy did not like the idea of Gabriella staying on her own. Despite the brave face she's had put on he knew she was scared, and he didn't blame her one bit. After facing the reality of the situation she had been in he was reluctant to let her go back there at all, but he knew it was not his decision to make. It was hers. He could voice his opinion, but in the end it was her who lived there, and he couldn't force her to move somewhere else where the security was better.

Sighing he ran a hand through his hair. At least she was in a safe place now, but that knowledge did little to ease his worries. She had woken up in tears from a nightmare that previous night and there was nothing to guarantee that that wouldn't happen again. He wanted her right there with him. Plain and simple. Well, perhaps not simple… the fact that he constantly wanted her around was something that both scared and thrilled him at the same time. She was growing more important to him by the day and he knew very well what road he was headed down.

He was falling in love.

And he was falling fast.

He was already at the point where he would go to great lengths to make sure she was happy. That deep care was the reason behind his current worry, and he silently wondered how much more intense this feeling would get as they continued to grow closer.

Shaking his head she glanced at the clock and realized that it was already close to Violet's bedtime, yet the little girl was nowhere near ready for bed.

With a slight smile he got up from the couch and started making his way towards the stairs. About thirty minutes earlier Violet had informed him that she was going to show the kitten her room and make its bed. Seeing as he hadn't heard any screams, just quiet bustling around he assumed that both his daughter and the cat were fine. As she had grown older and more independent he had struggled to find a nice balance between checking on her and letting her be. In a way it was harder than when he had to watch her every step. At least then he knew what was expected of him. Sometimes it frightened him how fast she was growing up. Her baby days were long gone and she was blossoming into her own person. She had thoughts and ideas, and he found that she was learning new things every day. Some days she would ask him questions he had no idea how to answer. Questions about things he wouldn't every remember thinking of.

One thing he _did _think about, though, was how Violet would react to a relationship between her daddy and her precious Miss Montez. That Violet adored Gabriella there was no doubt about, but he worried about how she'd take the fact that she'd have to share his attention in everyday situations.

Being an only child with a very single parent had made her used to having his undivided attention pretty much all the time. It wasn't a situation he had paid much attention to until recently, but now he was more than aware of the possibly hurdles they'd have to cross in the future.

Approaching her open bedroom door he heard Violet ask her kitting to stop fussing and be still. He frowned as he took the few final steps and peaked his head into the light pink bedroom. It looked as if a tornado had had hit it and he suddenly realized why his mother had always been on his case about picking up things he was no longer using.

Strewn about on the hardwood floor was Violet's entire collection of both stuffed animals and dolls clothes. Her doll sized table and chairs were placed in the middle of a princess crown shaped rug, and her tine tea-set that went with it seemed to have been knocked to the floor; in the middle of this mess stood his daughter with her doll stroller. Her face was both stern and deeply concentrated and he silently prayed that she was not doing what he thought she was doing.

"Tinkerbelle you have to be still! I can't take you for a walk if you keep jumping out. That's dangerous!"

And his fears were confirmed.

This just couldn't end well.

"Violet…what are you doing?" he asked calmly, not wanting to spook her as she was clearly not aware that he was watching her.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed and turned around. As she did so, a terrified white kitten jumped out of the stroller and onto the floor.

"Oh, Daddy! You made her jump out!" Violet frowned before walked towards the poor cat that was currently trying to get out of what he presumed was a dolls dress and hat.

"Violet, I want you to leave that cat alone," he was, hit voice firmer than before.

"But, Daddy…" she started.

"No, Violet. Do you remember what I told you earlier about Tinkerbelle?"

"No…"

"I think you do. What did I say she wasn't?"

"A toy…" Violet said quietly.

"Exactly. She's not a toy. She's an animal, and little girls need to treat animals nicely. I thought you knew that. Grandma and Grandpa have told you that many many times about Teddy. He is an animal and you need to respect him. It's the same with this kitten, but you haven't treated her very nicely have you?"

"I didn't hurt her, Daddy! Honest!"

Her voice broke slightly and he knew she was getting upset, but she was a lecture she needed to hear while the crime was fresh.

Seeing the cat struggle, he sat down and reached for it.

"I know, but she doesn't look very happy does she?" he asked as he carefully he pulled the clothing off and watched as she ran out of the room.

"No…she looks scared," Violet whispered.

"She is. Remember she just moved to a brand new house today. She doesn't know this is home yet. She probably wants to explore it and learn her way around, not be forced to wear doll clothes and go for walks. I don't want to ever see you do that to her again, ok?" Troy's voice held more authority than what Violet was used to and she nodded immediately; her eyes never leaving the floor.

"Good, because if you cannot treat her right; we can't have a cat."

At this Violet's head shot up and her shimmering eyes met his.

"Oh no, Daddy!" she cried. "I'll be good! I promise I'll be good! I'm sorry…"

By this point her tears were flowing freely and Troy sighed. He hated when his lectures upset her like that.

"Honey, come here," he said and opened his arms for her. As she fell into them he cradled the back of her head in his palm and stroked her back in soothing circles.

"Don't cry, peanut. Daddy's only being strict because you need to know I'm serious about this. Tinkerbelle won't go anywhere if you treat her nicely, I promise that."

"I didn't mean to scare her," Violet whispered into his neck between gasping for air.

"I know, honey, but you did," he said and carefully stood up, still holding Violet's body close to him.

"You understand that it's wrong now, right?"

"Yes…"

"That's good, that's all I'm asking you to do. Shh, no more tears, there's nothing to cry about, sweetheart."

He sat down on her bed and shifted her body around so that she was sitting more comfortably on his lap.

"Shh, honey, I'm not mad at you anymore," he said and kissed her head softly. Violet was still gasping for air and he rocked her gently back and forth. A few minutes later she seemed to have calmed down and he breathed a sigh of relief. Upsetting her was one of the most horrible things he did, and he always felt so guilty when it happened.

"I made a mess," the small girl suddenly said and Troy couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped him.

"You certainly did. We're going to have to clean that up before you go to bed or you will trip over it tomorrow morning."

"Can you help?" she asked quietly.

"Sure I can, sweetie. Let's get started huh?"

"Yeah, " She nodded and jumped off his lap. Shaking his head Troy got up from the bed and joined his daughter on the floor. He pulled the boxes the clothes belonged in towards them, and started putting the items back where they belonged.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella had tried to block out the noise and go sleep. For the past house she had done everything in her power to keep her thoughts from drifting back to the previous night each time she heard a noise from the hallway. Her iPod had been turned on as loud as it would go and she had tried her best to make her head submerge itself in the book she was currently reading. It had worked fine for the first 30 minutes, but when doors had started slamming her heartbeat had sped up considerably. She felt silly for wanting to call him again. It was nearing midnight and she was certain he was asleep. Despite this knowledge her fingers were dancing around the green call button on the phone in her hand.

With a sigh she closed her eyes and leaned back against the soft pillows.

She was twenty-eight years old. She shouldn't feel the need to hear his voice every time she got a bit spooked.

"Grow up, Gabriella," she whispered to herself just as a thud was heard against her closed door.

Shooting up into an upright position she pressed call on her phone without offering it a second thought.

It rang a few times before a slightly breathless Troy picked up.

"_Hello?"_

"Troy…" she nearly whispered.

"_Ella? What's wrong?" _

"Some party I think…."

"_At the hotel? People aren't supposed to…"_

"I'm just being stupid," she cut him off. "I just keep thinking going back yesterday…I'm…"

"_You're scared." _He finished off with a small sigh.

"Yeah…are you mad? I didn't wake you did I?"

She heard him take a deep breath and she bit her lip gently. She shouldn't have called.

"_No, Ella, I'm not mad, and you didn't wake me. I'm just pissed at myself for letting you have your way. I knew I should have made you stay here."_

Gabriella bit her lip, suddenly feeling selfish for calling him without thinking of how it would make him feel.

"_I'd come and get you, but I have Violet here now."_

"I'll be fine…I'm sorry I calling you like this…" she started to apologize, but found herself cut off before she got very far.

"_Don't be ridiculous, Gabriella. I'd rather have you call me than find out later that something was bothering you."_

"I shouldn't be this scared though," she said stubbornly, clearly getting annoyed at her own fear. "I've been living on my own for years…"

"_No one blames you for being scared, Ella. if I went through what you did I'd be scared too. Nothing wrong with that, babe." _

"Thanks… I just wish I wasn't."

"_I know, but in all seriousness. Do you want me to come get you? Because I can arrange for a car, it will only take a few minutes." _

She wasn't prepared for the reaction his words evoked in her as they tumbled out of his mouth. The tingly sensation as her eyes welled up with tears caught her off guard and she could do nothing to stop the droplets from spilling over her eyelids.

"You're pretty amazing do you know that?" she nearly breathed out.

"_I… are you crying, Ella?" _

"No."Her response was too quick and her voice broke noticeably as she spoke.

"_Yes you are,"_ he said with a small sigh. _"Why are you crying, babe?"_

"Because… I … you… you said…"

"_That's why you're crying?" _he asked. She could practically hear him holding back a chuckle.

"Maybe…" she said before biting her lip and letting her body sink into the soft pillows.

"_I don't think I'll ever understand the female mind," _Troy said and a small giggle escaped her.

"I don't think you're supposed to," she answered softly. Happy that the sound of his voice alone was enough to soothe her fears, and would eventually lull her to sleep. It was far from the worst way she had ever fallen asleep.


	14. Pancakes

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon High School Musical, copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and High School Musical 2, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorized by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorized copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks

**AN: so I suck… and I'm totally aware of it… and I'm really sorry! BUT here's a new chapter (finally!) **

**Thanks to everyone who is still reading this lil story of mine!**

**Chapter 13: Pancakes**

On Wednesday afternoon Gabriella was hurriedly packing up the items on her desk. The staff meeting had lasted longer than she has expected and she was now running very later. She had told Troy to pick her up at five, it was now 5.30 and she had yet to leave the school building.

"Crap," she breathed out as her pencil case fell to the floor, its contents spilling out underneath her desk. Sighing she crouched down started picking up the scattered pens as they rolled in whichever direction they pleased.

"In a hurry, Gabriella?"

Glancing up Gabriella's eyes fell on the face of Emily Black, one of the few younger teachers in the school.

"Yes, I told a friend to pick me up at five and well…he's been there for a while now. I just hope he hasn't left."

"Ooooh! It's a he! Tell me more!"

The girls' eyes seemed to light up and Gabriella blushed. She couldn't have just kept her mouth shut now could she?

"And it's a cute he by the looks of it," she teased, a grin dancing across her lips.

"Emily…"

"What? You're the one that blushed…"

Shaking her head Gabriella bit down on her lip as she tried to figure out exactly how much she could tell without saying too much.

"Can I just not comment on that?"She finally asked, making Emily laugh.

"Still finding out where you're standing, huh?"

"Something like that. It's… complicated." Gabriella said as she let the pens fall back into their case.

"Complicated, huh?"

"Yeah," she said and looked over at Emily who was smiling at her.

"What?" Gabriella asked.

"Nothing. Just…he's not married is he?"

"What? No!" Gabriella exclaimed horrified. Dating your students' father was one thing, but dating a married man…no. That was just a big no. There was nothing morally wrong about what her and Troy were doing, except maybe breaking a school rule, but that was it.

"Good, just checking. Complicated usually means they're taken, married, or off limits in some other way."

Gabriella bit the inside of her cheek as she dropped the pencil case and a notebook into her bag. This conversation was quickly taking a turn down a dangerous road and she needed it to end before Emily found out what was going on.

"It's not THAT complicated," she finally ended up saying before picking up her cardigan.

"That's good then. You know, I think this is the first time I've heard you mention anyone outside of school and dancing. It's nice."

Gabriella smiled.

"Yeah, it is."

"Well, I'll let you go to your complicated guy before he drives off," Emily said, making Gabriella giggle softly.

"Yeah, he's probably wondering if I got lost or forgot or something."

"Or if you decided to let someone else take you home. Guys always go for worst case scenario."

The laugh escaped Gabriella before she had a chance to stop it. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that Emily was right. She already knew Troy was one to worry, so to know what was running through his mind right at that moment was something shed quite like to know.

"Ok, I have to head off, see you Friday," Gabriella said as she pushed the door open.

Emily nodded and gave a small wave before suddenly opening her mouth again.

"Hey Gabi?" she called after her

"Yeah?"

"Keep me posted on this guy. It's nice to have someone my own age around here for once."

Gabriella smiled and nodded before continuing down the hall. It had never crossed her mind that Emily might be just as lonely as she had been. The brunette had a southern accent and it suddenly downed on Gabriella that she had probably left behind family and friends as well. She was a nice girl; Gabriella had just never taken the time to find out anything about her life outside the school walls.

Approaching the front doors, she made a mental note to get to know Emily better, she was after all only a year or so older, and as much as Gabriella found herself loving the stolen moments with Troy she missed having a girl around.

…-ΰ-…

A steady tapping sound echoed through the silent car as Troy focused his eyes on the sidewalk in front of the parking space he had parked in.

She was thirty minutes late and he was starting to worry if something had happened to her. He knew perfectly well that he was being irrational. Her meeting had most likely lasted longer than planned; the problem was that his brain didn't accept the rational explanation when she was concerned. Not after the break in.

"Daddy, did she forget about us?" Violet asked from the back, making Troy twist in seat.

"I sure hope not, peanut," he said.

"Maybe you got the wrong time? Like grandma did at the dentist. She didn't have to be there at all that day! But she went anyways!"

Troy chuckled, did children ever forget anything?

"I don't think so honey, I checked the message twice."

"I hope she comes soon cause this is boring."

Troy nodded before shifting his gaze to the street corner he wanted her to appear around.

She had never been late to anything before and her punctuality was something he had gotten quite used to. Not once had she been late to a dance lesson, or not been on the street to be picked up when that was the agreement. It threw him off when she was late.

_Come on Ella…_

The thought had barely left his mind when he noticed her.

She looked similar to how she had looked that morning, but the ponytail that had been neat and tight was falling apart, leaving lose strands of hair to frame her face. The white blouse was slightly wrinkled, but Troy didn't think it mattered much. She looked adorable as she came running, her bag dancing around her hip.

As she properly rounded the corner she came to a sudden halt and he could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she looked for his car. A triumphant grin spread across her face seconds later when she spotted him, and he couldn't help but grin along with her as she dashed towards him.

It amazed Troy how fast women seemed to be able to move in heels. He just couldn't wrap his mind around how such a thin piece of…whatever they were made of, could support anyone's weight. And it made even less sense how anyone could keep their balance on them.

He shook his head gently before turning to look at Violet again.

"Look out the window, peanut, she's coming now."

"Finally! Now we can surprise her!" Violet exclaimed as she stretched her neck to look. Troy turned his head just in time to see Gabriella's small body disappear down the side of his car.

Wide eyed Troy threw the door open jumped out.

"Ella?"

"I'm ok, I'm ok!" she exclaimed through her giggles as he rounded the car to where she was sitting on the pavement.

"I guess those heels win from time to time, huh?" he chuckled and she shot him a puzzled look.

"What?" she raised an eyebrow playfully.

"I was just thinking about how you girls manage to run in heels…but then you fell so…"

"Oh shut it," she giggled before taking the hand he offered and let him pull her to her feet.

"Yes, dear," he teased, almost doing a double take at the stern look she sent him.

"Don't even go there Troy…" she warned. "It's not funny."

He couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her face.

"Gabriella," he chuckled. "I'm just joking."

"Daddy!"

"That's our cue, jump in the car," Troy said before shooting her grin. Gabriella shook her head and smiled.

Boys.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella approached the apartment building with mixed emotions. The fact that Violet was skipping ahead in front of her brought a smile to her face, but fear was still etched into the back of her mind. Everything was fine as long as Troy was with her, it was what would happen when he was gone she was worried about. New security system or not.

"Hey? Are you alright?" Troy asked softly as he let his fingers stroke gently against hers.

"Yeah, just… never mind."

"Hey, you can talk to me."

"I know… I just don't know what to say."

"But you'll talk to me when you do?"

"Yeah…I promise. Let's just get inside."

Troy nodded and resisted the urge he felt to grab her hand. Something was definitely bothering her. The whole car ride she had been quieter than usual, and though he had a good idea what was causing the troubling thoughts he didn't want to push her into admitting something she herself wasn't sure of.

"Daddy…there's a policeman there," Violet said as she reached for her father's hand.

"Police? Violet, honey, you know they won't ever hurt you right? They're there to protect people," Troy said when he saw the worried look on his daughters face.

"I know… but he looks scary. He's so tall and he has a gun…and guns can hurt people."

"Only bad guys, honey, not little girls."

"Why is he there? There aren't any bad guys in there are there?" Violet asked and moved to walk slightly behind Troy, their legs brushing with each step.

"I sure hope not, sweetie," Gabriella said and cast a worried look towards Troy.

"Let's go ask him. Violet, you're making it hard for me to walk when you walk so close."

"But I don't like him."

"Would you rather I carry you then?"

"Yes."

"Come here."

Gabriella smiled slightly as Troy lifted the petite girl onto his arm. She was getting too old to be carried around; they all knew that, but sometimes even the big little girls needed to be just little again.

As they approached the policeman that stood near the entrance both girls gave him weary looks. Gabriella's mind was suddenly filled with all the reasons that could be behind his presence, she just hoped that the real one was one that offered some sort of good news.

"Afternoon officer," Troy said politely when they came to a halt in front of him.

"Afternoon sir, miss," he nodded back. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be a Gabriella Montez would you?"

Gabriella looked at him surprised.

"Yes, I am…why?"

"Oh, no need to look so worried. I was just sent here to talk to you about what happened the other night. We have some news you might be interested in."

"Oh, well… ok."

"I can see you are still a bit shaken up, perfectly understandable, though I think our news might put some of our worries to rest."

"All right. Uhm, do you want to talk here or?"

"Mr. Santos is waiting inside; I was simply taking some fresh air."

"OK. Troy? Why don't you and Violet go ahead, I will only be a minute."

"Sure, we'll wait upstairs," Troy said and reached over to give her hand a reassuring squeeze before continuing towards the stairs.

"Do you think he's shot many bad guys, daddy?" she heard Violet ask and could help but smile when she heard the middle aged policeman chuckle.

"That's a beautiful little girl you've got there Miss Montez."

Gabriella bit her lip as she followed Troy and Violet with her eyes. She knew perfectly well that Violet wasn't hers, but the policeman didn't have to know that.

"Yeah…she is," she said with a smile.

"Well, we'll only keep you here for a minute."

Gabriella simply nodded before following him down the hall towards the landlord's office.

…-ΰ-…

Troy was halfway up the stairs when he turned his head to watch as Gabriella disappeared around a corner. Her steps were tentative and he had a feeling her calm behavior was simply a mask set to cover the worry that had been swirling inside of her since the night he had picked her up. She hadn't put it into words that she was scared to move back, but whenever the topic of it had come up some of her usual spark had faded.

It didn't surprise him at all that she was scared. He was pretty sure he would be too if he were the one walking down the hall next to a police officer. He just hoped that whatever news it was she was about to receive would be good ones. She needed good new now; something that would make her feel safe again. No one should have to feel scared in their own home, it was something that was mentally draining and the thought alone made him ache for her.

Allowing himself another deep breath he continued up the steps. Violet was still seated on his right arm and with every step he took her small foot collided with his upper leg.

"Daddy, do you think that policeman put the bad man that took Gabriella's things in jail?" Violet asked as she scratched her head gently.

"I sure hope so, honey. He should be in prison for what he did."

"Yes, because you're not allowed to take other peoples things."

"That's right. Sometimes you can borrow them, but you always have to ask before you do."

The little girl nodded in agreement as Troy took the final step up the stairs and continued down the hall. Until Gabriella joined them, all they could do was wait for her.

…-ΰ-…

An hour later the trio was seated on Gabriella's couch eating pancakes with strawberry jam. It was a quick, but messy way to deal with hungry stomachs, and since no one had been in the apartment it was all she had to offer.

"Theche awe gooh," Troy mumbled mouth full of food.

"What was that?" Gabriella giggled as she raised an eyebrow at his less than gentleman-y behavior.

Troy swallowed hard.

"These are good," he repeated.

"Daddy…you're not supposed to talk with your mouth full."

Troy suppressed his urge to groan. He loved that his daughter was well behaved and polite. It showed him that he was doing something right, but did she really have to point out every mistake he made?

Across from him he saw Gabriella bite back a giggle and he shot her a stern look, to which her eyes only seemed to sparkle more at.

"She's right you know," she said and Troy tried his best to not roll his eyes at the proud look that spread on Violet's face when Gabriella agreed with her.

Troy sighed playfully.

"I'm sorry, peanut."

"That's ok," she said before popping the last piece of pancake into her mouth. Her cast free arm reached for the glass of juice Gabriella had placed on the table and she carefully lifted it towards her mouth. She took a long drink before placing it back where it belonged.

"All done!" she exclaimed and took a jump backwards so she sat more comfortably on the couch.

"Are you sure?" Troy asked.

Violet nodded vigorously.

"Let me feel that tummy," he said and started poking his daughter's belly, making her squirm with laughter.

"Yep, I think you're right, peanut, that tummy feels awfully full to me."

Violet laughed and poked her tongue.

"Told you!"

"So you did."

Gabriella shook her head at the pair as a smile spread on her face. It felt nice to have a child's laughter dance through the room. When she thought about it, it actually felt nice to have any homey sounds in the room; sounds that weren't coming from her, but from them. It was nice to not be alone.

…-ΰ-…

Troy smiled as Violet pulled her reader out of the backpack he had fetched from the car, and then proceeded to curl up in the corner of the couch.

"I'm just going to help Gabriella in the kitchen, peanut. Will you be ok?"

"Mhm, it's just reading."

"Just call if you need help," Troy said before he turned around and walked towards the small kitchen where he knew Gabriella was dealing with the dishes from their dinner. She didn't seem to notice that he was standing in the doorway, so for a few minutes he simply observed her as she moved about. From the look on her face she seemed to be miles away and he desperately wanted to know what was going through her mind.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he asked gently and watched in horror as the glass in her hand slipped from her grasp and shattered against the kitchen floor. She looked at him wide eyed as the tiny pieces scattered around her sock clad feet.

"Don't move!" Troy exclaimed when Gabriella lifted her foot to step away from the broken glass. Carefully she set her foot down in the same spot and inwardly groaned when she saw Violet approaching.

"Violet, no!" she exclaimed. The small girl looked startled at the command and slowed her movements until she was barely moving.

"Why?" Violet asked.

"I dropped a glass, I don't want you to step on a piece and hurt yourself."

"Oh…"

"Do you have a broom?" Troy asked.

"Theres one over there," Gabriella said and pointed towards the corner where a broom stood against the wall. Troy nodded before disappearing around the corner to get his shoes.

Violets eyes moved from the glass on the floor to Gabriella and then focused on her father who was shoving his feet into his sneakers as he walked back.

"Don't move an inch, Vi," he said before setting the broom to the floor. With quick movements he swept the area around his daughter's feet before moving into the kitchen where Gabriella still stood in a sea of sharp glass.

Bored of watching her daddy clean up, Violet turned on her heel and headed back into the living room where she had, unbeknownst to Troy, swapped her reading homework with coloring. How was she supposed to resist when the drawings in her book were all white?

"I didn't mean to scare you, you know," Troy said as the broom caught the final shards of glass and swept them onto the dustpan Gabriella had told him where to find.

"I know, " she said. "I'm just jumpy."

Troy glanced up at her face and was taken aback at the thoughtful, almost worried look that seemed to cast its shadow over her.

"Hey…" he stated softly. "Are you ok?"

Gabriella bit her lip as she locked eyes with him.

Was she ok? Physically she was fine, mentally she was dreading the coming night so much she was pretty sure she could burst into tears if she let herself. She wanted to be brave. To face up to her fears and pretend she was happy to be there, but she knew that Troy had gotten way too good at reading her. If she lied, he would know.

"Yeah…just… I'm really not looking forward to tonight. Don't have the most pleasant memories from here right now. I mean, it pretty much looks the same… it just…"

"It _feels _different?" he tried.

"Yeah. It doesn't feel as safe anymore," she said quietly, her head tilted down as if ashamed or uncomfortable.

Troy closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It literally pained her him that she was scared of being alone and the fact that there was very little he could do to make it better really didn't help matters.

"Gab…" he started, but she cut him off.

"I'll be fine, Troy. I'm going to have to face it eventually."

"I know… but you shouldn't have to be scared of being in your own home," he said in a low voice as he stood up.

"If I'm honest I think I'd be scared of being anywhere on my own right now…not just here."

She smiled as she spoke the words, but Troy could tell she made an effort to do so. Her eyes seemed to beg him to let it go and with a sigh he gave in. Partly because she looked on the verge of tears, and partly because it was not a topic to be discussed in dept with Violet sat listening in the living room.

"Come here," he said softly as he opened his arms, inviting her into his embrace. She bit her lip, but tentatively stepped forward so he could wrap his arms around her small frame. Her entire body was tense, but as he ran a hand down her back he felt her slowly relaxing. Small hands crawled around his waist and he lowered his head.

"You know I'd much rather take you home with me, right?" he whispered in her ear, making a small, but sincere, smile spread across her features. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that that was what he would do had it not been for Violet. But Violet was there, she was the sole reason she had even met Troy, and though her presence complicated matters slightly, Gabriella had never wanted it to be different. The little girl had left her imprint on her heart, and a complicated relationship was a small price to pay when a child's emotions were involved.

Letting out a content sigh she let herself melt into his frame as his hand gently stroked her back. She was pretty sure she could have remained in that position all night, but as usual, fate had other plans.

Troy wasn't sure what made him release her, the sound of the doorbell, or the sound of Violet's feet on the floor, but he knew he didn't like the flicker of worry that flashed across Gabriella's face before she slowly turned around and exited the kitchen.

…-ΰ-…

Troy let out a sigh as he let his body collapse on his couch later that night. Violet was tucked into bed after, what was in his opinion, the longest bath time ever. They had long since found a good bath time routine, but it wasn't quite so efficient when his daughter had a cast on one arm. A good 15 minutes had been spent just waterproofing the thing only to have to tear all the tape and plastic _off_ again once she was all clean.

He shook his head as he pictured Violets face when the tape tugged painfully at her skin. Her eyes had filled with tears, but she had refused to let them fall. He still found it almost hard to believe that his daughter had injured herself so badly. Aside from the general check-ups due to being born premature, she had never stepped a foot inside a hospital before. Throughout the entire experience she had been nothing but brave, and shown him yet again that she was way more resilient than he let himself believe on a daily basis.

She was his little fighter, and he was so so proud of her.

His head fell back as he glanced at the pictures on the wall. For so long she had been the sole focus in his private life. Everything had revolved around her and what was best for her. The latter was still top priority, but there was another girl who was growing increasingly important in his life too. One he hadn't seen coming, one he was certain was fighting an inner battle with her fear right at this moment. Shifting positions he fished his cell out of his pocket and quickly found her number. He needed to know she was doing ok.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella jumped when the phone in her hand suddenly vibrated. His name flashed across the screen and she found herself smiling despite big ball of anxiety in her tummy. Hitting the green button she brought the phone to her ear and leaned back against the sofa cushion.

"Hey," she greeted; her voice barely above a whisper.

"_Hey, you doing ok?"_

Something about his calm soothing voice made her relax, and she felt the tenseness in her muscles disappearing as she pulled a blanket over her legs.

"Yeah, I think so."

"_Not too scared?"_

She bit her lip. Fear was very much present, more so before he called, but she had managed fairly well on her own. It was a battle, but she had been prepared for that; having to mentally tell herself that she was being silly whenever a sound made her stiffen.

"A little, or a lot… this helps though."

Troy closed his eyes and breathed slowly. He knew she would be, but hated to hear her confirm it.

"_Talking?" _He asked.

"Yeah. Makes me feel like I'm not alone here."

Regret filled her the moment the words left her mouth. He had already told her he wished he could stay or take her home; telling him being alone scared her more felt mean, even though she was sure he already knew it.

"_You know I wish you weren't right?" _Troy said with a small sigh.

"I know…but it is what it is. She comes first, as she should, I don't hold that against you Troy. It's what's right."

"_I know, but I still wish you weren't alone and scared right now."_

Gabriella chewed on her lower lip gently. Was this guy real? Never in her life had she met someone quite as caring as Troy Bolton.

"It could be worse," she said. "At least they arrested the guy."

"_That's true; did they tell you anything else?" _

Gabriella had only given him the most important piece of information she received from the police officer earlier that day. The rest were things a 6 year old shouldn't need to think about, so she had left the details out due to Violets presence.

"He's not an unknown to the police. Apparently he's been active in the drug scene for quite some time…" she paused. It was his drug involvement that scared her the most. Druggies often stayed in groups or gangs... and they were way too good at holding grudges.

"_And?" _Troy gently pushed for more information. Her quietness alerting him to her obvious distress.

"And he used to rent this apartment." She added quietly. "They think he might have been desperate and looking for stash he had hidden in some hidden compartment."

He fought the urge to groan in frustration. How had sweet, innocent Gabriella ended up in the middle of something like that?

"The landlord said he was evicted, and once all his stuff was removed they had also discovered his hiding places which are all gone now… that's why he trashed the place…" her voice was quiet and her eyes flickered around the room as she spoke.

"_God, Ella…" _

"I know… it's all so…. "

"_Yeah…" _He didn't know what to tell her. Technically she was safe, he knew that… but she also had reason to be scared. Good reason... and he found himself scared for her; worried that this could actually happen again.

He didn't want her in that apartment.

The fact that he was quiet didn't sit well with her. She had wanted him to reassure her that it would be fine and she didn't have anything to worry about. His silence said everything but that.

Drawing in a deep breath she focused on the TV.

The TV he had gotten her.

When the doorbell had rung earlier that day the last thing she expected was a delivery man with a new TV. She had stood there wide eyed as Troy signed the delivery slip and then proceeded to show the man in. He had looked at her with amusement written across the face, and she hadn't been sure whether to slap him or hug him.

"_Maybe it would be best if you came here…" _he mumbled, but Gabriella heard him.

"Troy…I'd love to, but…"

"_I know… I just hate that you're there." _He took a deep breath. _"God I wish I could just fix this."_

The familiar warm feeling of tears filled her eyes and she bit her lip.

"I'll be ok," she said quietly. "Maybe I could just find another apartment."

She added it as an afterthought, but the more she thought about it, the more tempting it sounded. The appeal of the one she was currently sat in had disappeared the moment the lock on her door had broken, and she had no other emotional attachments to the place. Moving sounded good.

In his living room Troy found himself nodding as he made a mental note to look at the local listings. The sooner she was out of that one, the better, but for tonight his goal was to make her feel less scared, and he planned on doing that by talking to her until she fell asleep.

**AN: **There you have it! Hope you liked it and please let me know what you think! I'll try and make the next update come faster! I haven't abandoned this story! :)


	15. Returning to normalcy

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon High School Musical, copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and High School Musical 2, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorized by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorized copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks

**AN:**Im sooooooooo sorry! Not sure what happened… I had half of this finished in like September…but then my muse left… and well… here we are…

Thanks to everyone who is still reading, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed! I just sat down and read through some of the things you've said and just… wow… my cheeks are totally crimson now. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

This chapter is more of a filler than anything else, but it's pretty drama free and has got some cuteness in it :)

Hope you all like! xxx

**Chapter 14: Returning to Normalcy **

Gabriella yawned as she unlocked the door to the dance studio and reached for the light switch inside. As the fluorescent lights flickered alive she stepped inside and scratched her neck where a still wet piece of hair tickled her.

With all the dramatics that had been going on lately she had completely forgotten about the fact that she had yet to choreograph and memorize a dance to perform at the Christmas recital. She had been informed of the fact that they wanted the teachers to participate a couple of weeks ago, but it had slipped to the back of her mind until earlier that morning when an email had ticked into her Gmail account asking how long her number was and what music she would need. In a slight panic she had jumped into the shower, grabbed her dance bag and left for the studio, getting breakfast on the way there.

As the familiar smells surrounded her, she felt a smile creep onto her face as her tense body relaxed. Despite being the only one in the big building she was completely calm as she stepped into the dressing room to change. It was as if she had left all her worries outside the main entrance and was now free to let her mind take a break and just go with the flow.

Grinning to herself she slowly slipped out of her sweats and pulled on the thin white pantyhose and black leotard, followed by a wraparound skirt and white slippers. Leaving her clothes on the bench she grabbed her bag and opened the door to the familiar studio and sat down on the floor next to the piano. She really had no idea exactly what she was going to do. It had to collaborate with the rest of the show, that much was obvious, but exactly how she was going to do that was the mystery. Pushing away from the wall she leaned forwards and let herself fall onto her tummy as she pulled out her notebook to brainstorm with herself.

…-ΰ-…

Troy was having one of those days where nothing seemed to be going his way. His alarm clock had decided to stop in the middle of the night, resulting in a very rushed morning and Violet almost being late for school. After dropping her off he had gone to check how things were going at his L.A based hotel, only to be informed that a water pipe had burst in the restaurant kitchen and they had been forced to close down after serving breakfast. A plumber was on his way, but they had yet to make arrangements for the guests expecting lunch and dinner in only a few hours. So now he was on the phone to a nearby restaurant, trying to make some sort of voucher deal for his guests who had already paid for the all inclusive stay.

"Ok, so you will e-mail over the vouchers which we will print out and five to the guests for each of the meals covered, and then you'll collect them when they've made their orders and then send us a bill with the total amount we owe you , right?" Troy asked as he scratched his neck lightly.

"Ok… no, no that sounds great. I really appreciate your willingness to help us out here. Thank you so much. Bye."

He let out a sigh of relief as he hit the end button and started dialing the familiar number to the manager down at the hotel itself. It rang twice before the familiar voice entered his ear.

"_Mr. Bolton?"_

"I've gotten us a deal with 'Constansa' which is just a couple of minutes away from the hotel."

"_That's great news. What do I have to do on our end?"_

"Not a whole lot. They will email over the different vouchers for the different meals. You'll need to print them out and make sure everyone who has already paid 'all inclusive' gets them. The restaurant and I will take care of the rest."

"_Wonderful. The plumber just arrived here and told us that we were very lucky. As it is now; the leak is fairly easy to get to, but had it been a bit further down we would be looking at a much bigger and complicated job. He says he'll finish in a few hours and then we just have to make sure everything gets properly dried up and we'll be up and running again."_

"Oh, thank god for that! Make sure you get the right equipment to draw out the moisture. I believe we have something in the basement, and if you have any problems just give me a call, alright? Oh, and Martin?"

"_Yes, sir?" _

"Don't forget to make sure everyone, including yourself, take some breaks and eats. I don't want you lot stressing yourselves out. If you need more hands down there, just give me a call."

"_I will. Thank you."_

"Good."

With that Troy hung up and rubbed his temples gently. It wasn't even lunchtime yet and he could feel a headache coming on. He needed a break and some fresh air. Letting out a yawn he picked up his phone and typed a quick message. Hopefully she'd be free to join him.

…-ΰ-…

Her phone buzzed gently on the floor next to her and she looked up from the notes and charts she had been making in her notebook. Chewing on her lower lip she debated whether or not she was willing to break out of her current trance to read the text or to simply go back to her plans. Curiosity got the better of her and she quickly snatched the small object and pressed 'read'.

_Lunch?_

The smile spread on her face before she could even try to stop. It was a simple request, but it still made her heart flutter like a schoolgirls. There was just something about Troy Bolton that made her feel fifteen again.

_At the studio working on something. When were you thinking?_

Her fingers flew across the keys as she typed her response. Dropping the phone back on the floor she tried to focus on her choreography again, but found that impatience was quickly washing over her as the phone stayed black and silent. Groaning, Gabriella let her head fall down on her notebook. Since when did she let boys get to her?

Well… since Troy Bolton apparently.

…-ΰ-…

Troy knitted his brows together in confusion. It wasn't even noon and she was at the studio? Obviously there was something going on that he wasn't aware of, but she seemed willing to take a break from whatever she was doing, so he quickly got up from his chair and headed for the door.

If he was going to do this he needed to run some errands first.

…-ΰ-…

"No, Shar…"

"_Why not?"_

"It has to tie in with the rest of the show remember? Maybe I should just merge it with the number the kids are doing… or would that be totally cheesy?"

"_A bit, but cute too. The kids would probably love it."_

"Yeah. It makes it easier too, seeing as I already have their number and music planned out."

"_Yeah, it's definitely the easier way out. I'm still lost on how the heck you forgot… you never forget _anything!_" _Sharpay said, making the brunette bite her lip gently. She hadn't spoken to her friend on the phone in quite a while, so the blonde had no idea about the break in or the fact that she a boyfriend; if that was even the correct term for what they were.

"Yeah… uhm… well…"

"_Spit it out, El."_

"It's quite a long story…"

"_I've got time… please tell me there's a guy involved?"_

Gabriella giggled and shook her head. Sharpay had never been one to beat around the bush.

"Yes, Shar… there's a guy involved," she admitted.

"_The hottie daddy I presume?"_

"That makes it sound so bad, but yes."

"_I knew it! Give me the deets!"_

Taking a deep breath Gabriella mentally prepared herself before giving her friend the short version of what had happened the past few weeks.

"_Wait, wait, wait, wait… he saved you from a crazy burglar, took you home, had sex with you and now you're taking it slow?" _

"Something like that."

"_Good lord girl… first; thank god you're ok! You're ok, right? Secondly: Why am I only learning about this now? And thirdly: I'm going to need a picture of this guy!"_

Gabriella chuckled.

"I'm ok, still a bit shaken up, but I'm ok. Troy's hardly lets me walk anywhere on my own at the moment, so I think I'll be safe. Why you don't know… I've sort of been all over the place lately. I haven't really talked to anyone aside from Troy and Violet and people at work. As for a picture… I don't even have a picture of him!"

"_Well take one! I need to see this guy who has manage to sweep you off your feet! I can't remember the last time that happened."_

Gabriella found herself blushing at Sharpay's comment. It sounded so cheesy, but he really had swept her off her feet. He had taken her by surprise with his gentle, caring behavior, and if she was honest with herself, she was falling head over heels in love with him much much faster than she had ever anticipated.

"Well… he's not like everyone else," she said with a small smile.

…-ΰ-…

The pink satin ribbon slid through her fingers like water as she gently moved them out of the way so she could slip her foot into the pointe shoe. It had been several months since she had last danced in them and she felt a sense of excitement wash over her as she tightened the drawstring around her foot and picked up the ribbons. With practiced ease she tied them around her ankle and tucked the knot behind the pink satin so it was completely hidden from sight.

Standing up she flexed first her right foot and then the left one, making sure everything felt right and her shoes weren't going to slip off her heel. Once satisfied that they would stay in place she walked over to the barre by the CD player and pressed play. Before she had a chance to think about what she was doing her feet followed the tunes of the music in warm up routines that had been etched into her memory several years ago.

…-ΰ-…

The moment Troy opened the door he heard the gentle music he had heard so many times before when waiting for Violet. Careful not to make any disturbing sounds he slipped off his shoes and jacket before gently easing the door open to see what she was doing. The sight of her almost knocked the air out of him. He had seen her dance with the children on several occasions, but what she did with them was nothing compared to what he was seeing now.

The music almost seemed to be a part of her as she moved gracefully around the empty studio. Troy had no idea what any of the technical terms for what she was doing was, but he had to admit that there was no other word for it than beautiful. Maybe he sounded gay, or maybe he was just biased knowing it was Gabriella who was dancing, the latter sounded more likely to his own ears, but right at that moment he didn't really care. Her features had been tense for what felt like ages now, yet there, all on her own, she looked relaxed and at peace with herself and everything around her. Her face was serene as she seemed to surrender herself to the music that was surrounding her.

It was as if she was in her own little bubble and Troy was slightly worried about her reaction once she realized that he was there. The last thing he wanted was to scare her; he had simply planned on a surprise.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella knew there was no way she would remember the steps to the dance once the music stopped, but it didn't matter. She hadn't realized how much she needed alone time to dance until the music had started. Dancing was how she had dealt with issues most of her life, but recently there simply hadn't been time, and she had almost forgotten how all worry left her mind as she allowed herself to simply feel. Glancing up she let her eyes linger on the mirror for a second and nearly fell over when she realized there was someone standing in the doorway. She spun around on her heel and quickly focused her widened brown eyes on a rather sheepish looking Troy.

"Troy." She breathed out as she tried to calm her racing heart.

"Hey," he said as she moved over to stop the music. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok," she said. "How did you get in?"

"The door was open...was it not supposed to be?" His eyebrows knitted together as his mind once again went into overdrive. Was there someone else sneaking around in the building that neither one of them was aware of?

"It usually locks on its own unless we flick this little switch inside the lock. Guess someone forgot to do undo the setting yesterday and just locked the door manually. It's happened before," she explained as she walked towards where she had left her things on the floor. Her shoes made dull thumps with every step she took and he tilted his head to the side.

"Do those hurt?" he asked.

"The shoes?"

"Yeah."

"A bit. You get used to it though."

"It looks painful," he said and stepped into the studio fully, leaving his shoes out in the hall. Gabriella shrugged and sat down on the floor with a little sigh, extending her legs in front of her. Her feet _did_ hurt, but it was the kind of pain she had gotten accustomed to ages ago. Unless they were bleeding or blistered badly, she was unlikely to mention anything about it.

Noticing that Troy was still stood stationary in the doorway she shot him a small smile.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

Troy chuckled.

"Wasn't planning on it. Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she admitted. She had only grabbed a small snack on her way to the studio, and several hours had passed since then.

"Good, cause I brought lunch," he said and held up the basket he had been holding somewhat out of sight.

Gabriella's eyes widened upon noticing the telltale shape of the basket.

"You brought me a picnic?" she asked and gently bit down on her lower lip.

"I figured we both needed a break," Troy said and pulled out a fleece blanket and spread it out on the floor. Gabriella grinned and untied her shoes carefully before pulling them off. Her baby toe protested as she slipped the padding off and she winced upon noticing the small traces of blood on her tights.

"Damn it," she mumbled as she examined the damage the best she could.

"What's wrong?"

"Just a blister, I'll be fine."

"God, Ella… you're bleeding."

"It's nothing. Trust me I've had worse."

"Are you sure, that looks painful."

"Troy, you're seriously losing the macho look now," Gabriella giggled as she crawled over to the blanket. "It's just a blister that burst. I'm sure I'll live."

"Alright, alright," he said in mock defeat while raising his hands on either side of his face. A sheepish smile was present on his face and she simply looked at him for a moment before leaning over and pressing a soft, gentle kiss on his lips.

…-ΰ-…

Almost an hour later Gabriella was laid with her head in Troy's lap while he lazily played with the strands of hair that had escaped her bun.

"Gabriella?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here all alone?"

Turning around to her back she looked up at him as his fingers danced across her forehead.

"I forgot I had to prepare something for the Christmas show."

"But I thought the girls already knew their dance?"

"Oh, the girls do. I just forgot that they wanted the instructors to participate as well, meaning I had to prepare something for me to do. I was told about it a while ago, but with everything that has happened recently it completely slipped my mind."

Troy nodded in understanding. He had found himself having trouble focusing on the more trivial things lately as well. First Violet had been hurt and then things with Gabriella had changed drastically, making him worry about not just one girl, but two.

"Have you thought more about what you want to do? About your apartment and everything?" He kept his voice quiet as he asked her; silently hoping she had already figured something out, but the sigh that escaped her told him otherwise.

"I don't know. There aren't that many available places in the same area that I can actually afford without starving."

Her admission made him want to groan. He knew her budget was tight. It had to be with only working part time at the school and dance studio, but having her say it just made it more real in a sense. They both knew he could help her out, but he knew she'd probably never accept. He had had trouble getting her to accept the TV he had bought her, so having him pay for her housing would most likely be out of the question. He needed to know for sure though - needed her to know that he was willing.

"Gab..."

"Don't go there, Troy," she cut him off. "I can't ask you to do that."

"But you're not asking, I'm offering."

"Same thing."

"No its not."

"I still can't, Troy," she said and sat up so she could face him properly. "I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything, but it just wouldn't feel right to have you pay for something that big. I don't want to...I don't know... be dependent on you that way. Does that make sense?"

Her eyes were pleading with him to understand - willing him to see where she was coming from.

"It does," he said and reached out to stroke her cheek. Smiling slightly she turned her head and pressed a kiss to his thumb, lingering for a while before breaking the silence that surrounded them with a quiet admission.

"And… I don't want to seem like I'm using you for money...because I'm not, Troy... your bank account doesn't matter one bit...I mean sure your house is awesome and you drive a nice car and can get a girl a hotel room with a snap of your fingers...but it doesn't really matter.. I never even knew until..."

This time it was troy's turn to cut her off, and he did so by leaning forward enough to press a kiss to her lips.

"I know," he whispered against her lips before pressing their lips together once more.

"Just know that the offer stands, ok? If you need it."

"Thank you."

…-ΰ-…

When Troy picked Violet up at school later that same day she had a bandaged knee and an invitation to a birthday party in her hand. Surprisingly enough she had been more excited about the party than letting him know how she had gotten hurt; so it had been up to the other teacher to fill him in on what had happened that day. Troy had been relieved to hear that she had simply gone down the slide slightly faster than she was prepared for, and had, as a result, fallen off the end and scraped her knee on a rock.

"Annabelle said the party is at the American Girl Café and we can all bring our dolls if we have them!" Violet told him excitedly from the back of the car. "We have to buy her a present, Daddy."

"We sure do, peanut. All birthday girls need a present don't they?"

"Uhu. Presents and a cake. Like the one Gabi made!"

"That was some cake. Daddy couldn't have done that on his own."

"Nope! The one you tried to make was just all flat. I think you did something wrong with that one."

Troy chuckled as he parked their car. He knew for a fact that Violets entire birthday party would have been somewhat of a fiasco had it not been for Gabriella's help.

"I think I did, Vi. I'm better at building hotels than I am at building castle cakes. We were lucky Gabriella knew how to do it, huh?"

"Yeah! When it's her birthday we have to throw her a party too! With balloons and everything. But daddy…"

"Yes?"

"What will we do then… she can't bake a cake for her own birthday party can she? That's not right…"

"We'll figure something out by then. Don't worry," Troy said and got out of the car.

"When is Gabriella's birthday?"

Violet's question made him stop mid movement. How was it possible that after everything they had been through so far – he had no idea when she was born?

"I actually don't know, peanut... I think we have to ask her about that. Can't forget her birthday now can we?"

"No! Because she remembers all the birthdays at school! And when someone has a birthday we sing for them and we all get one piece of candy to celebrate! And if they want her too she makes them a crown with glitter! And when we run out of candy one person can come with her to the store and get more so the box is full again."

"You didn't get a crown did you?" Troy asked, not able to recall his daughter coming home with anything like that.

"Nope. That was the day school was closed remember?"

"Oh yeah, the water leak. I'd forgotten about that already. How do you decide who gets to go shopping for candy?" He asked. He was actually curious about these little things Violet suddenly told him about; little things that made her day a little more interesting.

"She wrote all our names on little pieces of paper and put them in a jar and then she just picks one."

"Have you gotten to go yet?"

"Nope, but that's ok. I get to see her when school is over sometimes, and that's more fun than going to the store is!"

Troy chuckled as he unlocked the door and stepped into the house. Violet _did _get to see Gabriella more than the other children did. A lot more. He still wasn't sure what they were going to do about the whole school situation. He knew they couldn't fire her for dating a parent, but he knew other schools that had rules when it came to close family or other relations teaching the child they were related or tied to. The last thing he wanted was to take away one of the people who made Violet feel safe at school. Maybe they were making things more complicated than they really were; he wasn't sure – but he knew they needed to find out soon, because even though she was just six years old, his daughter was far from stupid and would most likely ask questions sooner rather than later, and she was also bound to tell other people if asked, for all he knew she might have already talked.

"What do the other kids think about that, Peanut?"

"About what?" She asked as they moved from the hall and into the kitchen. Tinkerbelle, Violet's kitten, was lovingly stroking against their legs and Violet bent down to pet her before looking up at her father again.

"That you get to see Gabriella."

"I don't know. I haven't told them."

The words came out sounding so nonchalant Troy almost laughed. _Well that settles that,_ he thought as the little girl jumped onto a stool next to him.

"Do you have any homework for tomorrow, Vi?"

"Yeah. Reading. And I have to practice my writing and numbers."

"Let's get started then huh? So you don't have to do it later when you're all tired and can't concentrate. Let's see what it is you have to do," he said and lifted her backpack onto a kitchen chair so he could fetch her homework and messages folder. A bright yellow note caught his eye immediately and he pulled it out of the plastic casing.

_Head lice. _

He groaned.

He had escaped the dreaded creepy crawlers as a child and teenager, but still remembered vividly his mother looking for them; and the smell of the shampoo she used 'just in case'.

Skimming the letter he found information about how to treat if noticed and how he should brush his daughter's hair daily to both help prevent and look for the little insects.

"What did the letter say daddy?"

"That we have to look for lice in your hair."

"Lice? There's nothing in my hair… just hair."

"Lice are tiny things that you almost don't see sweetheart. They like to live around hair."

"I don't want that! How do you know if they're there?"

She looked utterly disgusted and Troy hoped for her own sake that she didn't have them. She'd take it so serious.

"They usually make your head itch a whole lot, but they can be hard to notice at first."

"They sound yucky..."

"They're very yucky."

"Will everyone get them? Like chickenpox?"

"No, it's not exactly like that. Lice live in hair, so if two people use the same hairbrush and one of them has lice, then the other one will get it too. That's why it says in the note to not share hats or hairbrushes and hair elastics right now; so that the lice don't move around so easily between everyone," he tried to explain. There had been lice epidemics before, but she had never really paid much attention then.

"I don't want them to live in my hair...what happens if they do?"

"Then we have to wash your hair with a special shampoo it says, and then brush it with a special comb for a few days. So that we get rid of them all. It's no dangerous though. Nothing to be scared of."

"I still don't want them..." she said as she pulled her workbooks out of her backpack. Troy simply chuckled and put the note aside. He'd need to get one of those combs at the pharmacy tomorrow.

"Ok, so it says you have a page of letters you need to practice, both big and small, and then there's another page of words you need to write. Can you find that?"

"Yep! I already know how to write them though..."

"I know you do, but you still have to practice so that all your letters are the same size and look the same."

"It's hard to write them small like in the book," she mumbled as she opened her pencil case and pulled out her favorite pencil.

"Yeah it is, but that why we have to practice. Daddy had to do that in school too."

"You did?"

"I sure did. Everyone has to do that when they learn how to write. Now how bout you start doing that, and I'll try and find out what we're having for dinner, huh?"

"Ok, as long as it's not fish... I don't want that."

…-ΰ-…

"Ok, one more time honey."

"Do I have to...?"

"Yes, it said you had to read through it three times with a parent, and we've only done it once. Two more time and then you're all done."

"But daddy..."

"There are no buts, Violet. We'll sit here until you've read it three times for me."

"I don't want to," Violet said with a pout as she pushed her book away and crossed her arms. "I already know it. And I have dance later..."

Troy sighed. It was not very often Violet acted out and refused to do what he told her, but it happened. Especially when she was getting tired.

"You'll sit here till you've done it, Violet. It's up to you. If you don't do the reading you won't go to dance class."

Violets eyes widened as she turned her head to look up at her dad. He could see emotions swimming in them and knew she was likely to start crying at any minute.

"But..." she started.

"No, Violet. You have to do your homework first." He knew he was being stern with her. Possibly too stern, but it was important to him that she learned that homework had to be done, and it was not something you simply skipped or put off till bedtime when he knew there was no chance shed be able to focus on the task at hand.

"But I want to go!" The first tears escaped and he closed his eyes briefly.

"I know, and you will go... if you finish your reading."

"I don't want to!"

"Fine. I'll call Gabriella then, and tell her you won't come," he said and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"No! Daddy, no!"

"So you'll read then?"

The small girl bit her lip as she glanced down at her book. She didn't want to read anymore, but she didn't want to disappoint Gabriella either. She didn't want to be told off by her for not doing her homework like some of the other children had been...

"Fine..."

"Good girl. I know you know how to do this, Vi. It'll only take a few minutes if you concentrate."

"N  
N was once a little needle,  
Needly  
Tweedly  
Threedly  
Needly  
Wisky-wheedly  
Little Needle!

O  
O was once a little owl,  
Owly  
Prowly  
Howly  
Owly  
Browny fowly  
Little Owl!"

"Good! That was much better than the first time, honey. One more time and you'll be all done."

Violet did as she was told this time and read the two verses slowly, without stumbling, one more time. When she was finished she slammed her book close and put it back into her bag. She had had more than enough of homework for that day. Troy shook his head slightly before catching her around the waist and lifting her onto his lap.

"I'm sorry I got angry, Peanut." he whispered in her ear as she settled back across his chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen..." she mumbled in reply while looking at her lap.

Troy smiled and gave her a small squeeze.

"Friends again?" he asked, making her nod ferociously.

"Yep, friends again"


	16. Change of Plans

_**"Dare to Dream"**_** © Nattou; 16.07.09**

This is a derivate piece of fiction featuring characters copyrighted and trademarked by Disney Enterprises Inc. It is based upon High School Musical, copyright 2006 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved; and High School Musical 2, copyright 2007 by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., all rights reserved. The author is not connected with nor is this work authorized by Walt Disney Enterprises Inc., or any other motion picture studios. This work is solely intended for posting on Fanfiction, for the benefit and enjoyment of its intended audience. No commercial or financial benefit accrues or is intended to accrue to the author as a result of said posting. Any unauthorized copying or redistribution of this work might subject the party responsible for such unauthorized copying or redistribution to legal action by the owners of the aforementioned copyrights and trademarks

**AN: **I'm so sorry! I really meant to have this up much much sooner, but real life happened and I lost touch with it for a little while. It will NOT be abandoned though. I fully intend to finish this; it just might take some time.

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews. Each and everyone mean a lot and brings a smile to my face.

Big thanks to **Marianne **beta-ing for me this time!

**Chapter 15: **Change of plans

The days seemed to pass in a blur as Thanksgiving neared. The school had a Thanksgiving play set up and Gabriella had been busy trying to find Thanksgiving themed exercises for the kids, and educate them a bit more about why they celebrated the holiday in the first place. Most of the kids already knew the basics, but there was always something to add to the story. Before she knew it it was the last day of school and she had the class gathered around in a circle as they took turns telling her all about their plans for the holiday.

"Violet?" Gabriella asked after glancing at the hands that were raised into the air.

"Me and Daddy are going to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We always do that. Grandma makes the yummiest dinner and dessert."

"Do you do anything fun there; something that only happens on Thanksgiving?" Gabriella asked.

"Daddy dresses Teddy up as a turkey sometimes," she said with a small shrug. The giggle escaped Gabriella's lips before she had a chance to stop it.

"The dog?"

"Uhuh, he doesn't always look very happy about it."

"I can imagine," Gabriella laughed, picturing it in her head. Around her she could hear the other children laughing as well and suddenly an idea popped up in her mind.

"I think you should ask Daddy to take a picture of that, Violet. Don't you think so, guys?" A collective 'yeah' came from the other students and Gabriella grinned.

"Maybe we should all do that? After Thanksgiving you'll all have to write something in your books about yourself and glue in a picture of your favorite moment. If you don't have a picture of it you can draw one instead. That's a fun assignment, right?"

"Can we add more than one picture if two funny things happen?" Connor asked.

"Of course you can! First we have to celebrate it though. You don't have to worry about doing this on your days off; it won't be due until a few days after you're back. Now, which one of the six year olds can tell me what time it is?"

Four excited hands shot into the air and Gabriella smiled at them.

"Nora?"

"It's two twenty."

"That's right! Very good. Now, what happens at two thirty-five?"

"The bell rings!" They all shouted, making Gabriella laugh.

"It sure does! So how about we all find our seats and pack up all our things, including the message papers on your shelves, and take vacation a little early?"

"YES!" the kids exclaimed and immediately rose from their seats and started scattering. Gabriella swiftly stood up and took control before the room turned into total chaos and the children left without hearing her final messages.

"Hold up, hold up! One more thing. I know some of you have to wait for your parents or for the busses to pick you up, so I'll come outside with you so you can play while we wait for them. Make sure you wait by your desks when you've packed your things. I have a few more things to say before we go."

Thirty pairs of feet shuffled across the floor before the usual noise that came with packing up started. Chairs scraped, books slammed shut and backpacks were opened and closed.

"Gabi?" the request was accompanied by a gentle tug on her right hand and Gabriella didn't have to look down to know who the voice belonged to. Not only did she know it well, but only one girl would call her by her actual name.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can you help me? I can't get my book into my bag," Violet said while scratching her arm.

"Sure, honey. If I hold your bag open for you, you'll be able to get it in, right?"

"Yeah. I tried, but it kept slipping. It's the stupid cast's fault." Gabriella smiled and tugged gently on the braid she had done in the car that morning.

"It'll come off soon."

They had settled into a routine. She wasn't quite sure when they had stopped calling in the morning to make sure they were on the same page, but sometime in the past couple of weeks she had started expecting him to be there, and he had never disappointed. It had become their thing and she knew a few teachers were aware of the fact.

"What are you thinking about?" Violet asked; efficiently bringing Gabriella out of her thoughts.

"Nothing important, Vi. Just boring stuff."

"Ok. Can we go out now?"

"You have everything?"

"Yep!"

"Good. Just wait here by your seat while I give a few messages."

Violet did as she was told as Gabriella made her way towards her desk where she picked up a sheet of paper.

"Are you all packed?"

"Yes!"

"All right then. Trevor, Oliver, Cammie, Cera, Emma and Noah; you're allowed to walk home on your own today. The rest of you need to let me know before you leave with your parents, ok? Those who take the buses line up like you usually do so I know who goes where. Off you go."

…-ΰ-…

Twenty minutes later, Violet and Gabriella were the only two people left in the school's playground. The girls sat on a swing each and gently moved back and forth while waiting for Troy to come pick them up.

"Where are you going on Thanksgiving, Gabi?" Violet asked, making Gabriella's head turn to look at her.

"I'm going to be at home, honey. My Mother said she was going to come visit me."

"Where does your Mother live? Is it far away? I've never seen her."

"Yeah, she lives far away. She lives in another state."

"That's far away…What about your Daddy?"

"My Daddy is heaven, just like your Mommy is." Gabriella said softly.

"Oh..."

"It's ok; it happened a long time ago now."

"Do you miss you him?" Violet asked as she kicked the ground a little harder to build up her speed.

"I do, but instead of being sad I try to remember all the nice things we did together."

"What did you do that was fun?"

"My Dad liked to dance, just like I do. When I was small he used to dance with me. That was a lot of fun."

"Your Daddy knew ballet?!" Violet asked shocked, her eyes growing wide.

Gabriella giggled.

"No, he did Latin dancing. You know, when two people dance together."

"Oh. I don't think my Dad can do that."

"I don't think so either, but he could learn."

"Maybe you can teach him!"

"Do you think he'd want to learn?"

"I don't know. Auntie Taylor showed me a video of Uncle Chad dancing at their wedding. He stepped on her dress a lot."

"Oh no!" Gabriella giggled.

"He said that dancing was for girls and that boy feet weren't made for it."

"Oh he just made that up," Gabriella laughed. "Boys can dance just as well as girls if they practice."

"I think we should ask Daddy."

"I think we should too, but not in the car, let's do it later when we can make him try."

"Yes!"

"What are you two planning?" Troy's amused voice suddenly asked from behind them, making both girls jump slightly.

"Nothing…" Gabriella said quickly as Troy caught the chains of her swing and leaned towards her ear.

"I don't believe you," he whispered playfully. Gabriella smiled slyly at him before jumping off the swing. Next to them, Violet did the same and gave Gabriella a big smile that only confirmed Troy's suspicion; his girls were definitely up to something.

…-ΰ-…

It was after nine on Wednesday night when Gabriella finally sunk down on her couch with dinner. Dance class had been moved to Wednesday because of Thanksgiving, something Gabriella was grateful for. Her girls needed practice and so did she, so after finishing up the lesson she had asked Troy if it was ok if she ran through her own number a couple of times before leaving. He had no objections to that (not that she really expected him to) and had gladly sat on the floor in the corner with Violet while she did her dance. It had taken her some time, but she had eventually found a way to tie her own number in with the children's routine without changing the dance they already knew. She had yet to do the dance with the children present, but had told them about it during the lesson and informed them of the small changes she had needed to make with their entrance on stage. Their faces had shown nothing but excitement at the news and all the worries she had had before hand had disappeared immediately.

_"How will you pick who gets to dance with you, Gabriella?" _

_"Are you going to wear a pretty costume too?" _

_"Will you help us if we forget?" _

_"I want to dance with you!"_

_"Me too!" _

_"Whoa, whoa whoa...one at a time!" Gabriella exclaimed as the kids fired questions at her. _

_"Lottie?" _

_"Who gets to dance with you? Can't we all do that?" _

_"I'm sorry, honey, but if everyone does it the number will be too long. I'll come up with a way that makes it completely fair for all of you. And I'll write it down, so if we do something like this for another recital, someone who didn't get to do it this time will get to do it next time. Does that sound ok to you guys?" _

_"Yeah." _

_"Good, that's good. Maddie did you have something you wanted to ask?" _

_"Uhuh, will you wear a costume too? So you look like a fairy?" _

_"I will. I have to look like a snowflake fairy don't I?" _

_"You do! And you need a tiara too if you're going to be the Snow Queen!" _

_Gabriella giggled at their excitement. _

_"You're just going to have to wait until next week to see how I'll look, because next week we're all going to have a mini dress rehearsal." _

_"Will you dance with us then?" _

_"I will. I can't today, because I still have to sort out a few things before my dance is complete, but that means today it's all about you, so up up up! Find your spots by the barre and we will warm up a bit. One, two three!" _

Blowing on lasagna, Gabriella glanced over at the bag of white tulle with furrowed brows. To pull what she had in mind off she needed her white leotard - she just hoped she had remembered to bring it with her when she moved. If she hadn't she'd need to go shopping... shopping or call her mom and beg her to send it to her by express mail. As if reading her mind, her cell phone suddenly started vibrating on the coffee table with the word _mom_ flashing across the screen. Gabriella closed her eyes briefly before putting her plate down and grabbing her phone.

"Hi, Mom," she greeted as she leaned back against the soft pillows.

_"Hi, Gabriella, how are you?" _

Gabriella bit her lip. How was she? It was a very good question. Personally she felt like she was all over the place - felt like she had covered every emotion known to man in the time span of a month or so. That, however, was not something her mother was aware of. Her mother didn't even know about the break in.

"I've been better if I'm completely honest with you," she finally said. Her mom deserved to know what had happened, at least parts of it. "My apartment got broken into."

_"What? Are you alright? I told you not to rent in a bad neighborhood, Gabriella."_ Gabriella rolled her eyes. At least she had asked if she was alright.

"I'm alright. A friend of mine let me stay there while they changed the locks and installed some new security systems in the building. It's not a bad place, Mom. It was just bad luck."

_"Well that might be so, but I'm sure there's a safer neighborhood than where you are now." _

Gabriella wasn't sure, but she hoped her mom meant it in a worrying way, and not a condescending one, but with Maria it could be hard to tell the difference.

"I'm sure there is, Mom, but I can't afford to live there. At least not yet."

_"Well, stay safe, honey, I don't want you getting hurt out there."_ Gabriella smiled. It wasn't often her mom's soft side came out these days.

"I will be."

_"So what else is going on?" _

"Well we've been preparing the kids for Thanksgiving, and then there's the Christmas recital at the ballet studio which is taking some planning. Speaking of; do you know if my white leotard is at your house?"

_"Oh I don't know, Gabriella... There's a whole box full of things related to dance here...I have no idea what's in it." _

"Could you send it to me?"

_"The entire box?"_

"Yeah, it might come in handy."

_"I'll see what I can do." _

"Thank you."

"_No problem. So, Thanksgiving…"_

"Yeah?" Gabriella's heart beat faster at the words. She knew what was coming.

"_I'm afraid I have some bad news."_

"You're not coming…" she said as she felt disappointment wash over her.

"_There were some change of plans at work, Gabriella, I didn't ask to travel somewhere else."_

"I'm sure you didn't ask for the days off to visit your daughter either."

"_Gabriella…" _Maria started.

"Save it, Mom."

She didn't want to hear the excuses. The fact that she wasn't a priority hurt enough as it was.

Her mother sighed on the other end almost succeeded in making Gabriella feel bad for not wanting to listen.

"_I'll send you your things when I get back next week ,"_ Maria finally said. _"I have to go now."_

"Thank you," Gabriella muttered before hanging up, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. She had tried to prepare herself for the possible let down, but that didn't stop it from hurting. The hope had been so strong that maybe they could fix some of their broken relationship and get back what they once had over the holidays. She had actually looked forward to cooking and making the place look pretty for her Mom's arrival. In her head she had planned out where she wanted to take her, she had wanted to show her mom that she was actually doing just fine on her own, doing what she loved, but once again Maria had robbed her of the opportunity to prove herself. To show that there was a future in things other than law. Closing her eyes, Gabriella willed the tears to go away before they fell, but they refused to go anywhere. They didn't want to disappear nor fall it seemed. It was as if her body didn't want to cry after all. She took a deep breath just as the phone rang again.

Troy.

He'd know something was wrong if she picked up...but he'd also worry something was wrong if she didn't. Deciding she was causing him less worry by telling him what was up she reached for the vibrating object.

"Hi," her voice was barely above a whisper and she mentally cursed herself for not at least trying to sound happier.

_"Hey, Ella. Are you ok? You sound different." _

"I..." and the sob that had refused to come earlier suddenly escaped her mouth as the first tears fell.

_"Ella? What's wrong?"_ His voice was etched with worry.

"Mom..."

_"What about your mom? Did something happen to her?" _

"No...She..." The words seemed to get stuck in her throat.

_"She what?" _he asked gently.

"She was supposed to come here tomorrow," Gabriella finally managed to get out and she heard Troy sigh on the other end.

_"Was?" _

"Yeah...she just called. She's not coming after all."

_"Oh, babe..." _

"I don't even know why I'm upset...I knew it would happen."

_"Because you care." _

"I wish I didn't. I wish I didn't get my hopes up only to have them crushed. It hurts," she whispered as she curled up against the soft cushions on the couch.

_"I know, El. God I wish I could hug you right now." _

"I'll be ok."

_"That doesn't mean I don't want to hug you."_

A small smile graced her lips at his thoughtfulness. She wanted him to wrap her up in a hug as well; wanted him to make all the pain go away.

_"El..."_

"Yeah?" she asked as she wiped away her remaining tears.

_"If she's not coming, what are you going to do tomorrow?" _Gabriella bit her lip. She usually didn't mind being on her own, but her mind had been set on being with her mom, so the prospect of being all alone wasn't very appealing at all.

"I guess I'll just stay here."

_"Alone?"_

"There's no one else I know around here, Troy. Not anyone who doesn't have plans already. I don't want to intrude on anyone._"_

"_That's not completely true."_

"What isn't?"

"_That you don't know anyone."_

"Troy…" she already knew where he was going with this.

"_Come with us,"_ he said.

It was a statement not a question, and it made Gabriella bite down on her lower lip.

"Troy..." Part of her wanted to say so badly. Spending the holiday with him and Violet was far more tempting than anything else she could think of, but it was also something that would take their relationship one step further.

_"I'm serious. I'm not going to let you sit all on your own in your apartment. I really won't be able to enjoy my night if that's the case."_

"But your parents?"

_"Mom adores you." _

"She does? How?" Gabriella asked confused. As far as she could remember she had only met the woman once.

_"From Violet's first day of school, and then me and Violet might be guilty of telling a few stories here and there. They won't object to you coming at all. I can promise you that." _

"But isn't it very... I don't know."

_"We don't have to declare our love for each other or anything wild like that, Gabi. It's not the first time I've brought friends over for celebrations. If you don't have a place to go, you're coming with us. That's final." _

"Are you sure? I really don't want to intrude at the last minute."

"_I'm sure. If Mom found out that__I didn't invite you I'd get a slap across the head."_

Gabriella giggled quietly.

"_I'm serious! If she sees it fit she'll still scold me like she did when I lived at home. It's kind of…"_

"Hey, Troy..." she cut him off.

_"Yeah?" _

"Thank you...I…just thank you."

"_Anytime. You sure you'll be ok tonight?"_

"It's not the first time."

"_That's not what I asked."_

"I'll be ok. It hurts and I'm upset…but I'll be ok. "

"_You sure? You can come here you know. If you want to?"_

"Thank you, but I'll be ok tonight. I need to figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow."

"_If you change your mind, the offer still stands."_

"I'll keep that in mind."

"_And please don't stress about tomorrow. Its low-key. It won't be a fancy dinner party kind of setting; just my parents and me and Violet."_

"Still need to figure out what I'm wearing. I'm not going to show up there in jeans."

"_You girls worry too much about these things," _Troy teased.

"We do not. We just like to look pretty."

"_Alright alright," _he chuckled. _"We'll pick you up at two,__ok?"_

"I'll be ready."

As they wrapped up the conversation Gabriella felt nervousness start to push the disappointment she had initially felt away. No matter what Troy said, it meant something to be taken home to his parents' house for Thanksgiving dinner; especially since it would be her first official meeting with them.

Taking it slow didn't seem to work for them at all.

…-ΰ-…

Gabriella suddenly felt like she was back in high school again. She had checked her outfit in the mirror what felt like a million times, yet she was still unsure about whether it was the right one to wear to dinner or not. Troy had assured her that she could wear whatever she wanted and it would be fine, but she wanted to make a nice first impression outside of school as well. The fact that his mother already knew that they were dating, and had said she liked her, did nothing but make her feel more nervous. What if she didn't live up to the image his mom had in her head of her? It had been a long time since they had met and Gabriella couldn't really remember the day at all. According to both Troy and Violet his dad was pretty chill as long as she made the two of them happy, and Troy had assured her that she definitely ticked those boxes.

Violet still didn't know that the two of them were dating, which was something Troy had been sure to tell his parents so they wouldn't accidently let it slip out and confuse Violet. The last thing Gabriella wanted was to make a mess of Violet's, or anyone else's Thanksgiving. With a sigh she shook her head and scrunched up her nose at her own reflection. Troy would be here any minute and there was no time to change so the outfit she had on would just have to do whether she was completely happy with it or not. Somehow she had a feeling that she could try on every outfit she owned and it still wouldn't feel right so just sticking with this one would probably be best. Now she just had to find her silver heels and get her purse. The thought had barely left her mind when the phone on the dresser started ringing.

"Damn it!" she exclaimed before picking up. "I'll be right there, I'm just ouch! Looking for my shoes."

_"Careful Ella, and take your time, was just calling to tell you we're leaving home now."_ Troy chuckled.

"Oh, ok. Just give me a call when you're outside?"

_"Sure."_ He said. _"And Gabi?" _

"Yeah?"

_"Take a breath. It's going to be fine." _

"Easy for you to say! It's your parents... they love you."

_"They'll love you too. Just be yourself and it'll be fine."_

…-ΰ-…

Ten minutes later Gabriella walked out the front door of the apartment complex with her silver heels on her feet and her purse clutched in her hand. The fabric from her dark blue dress danced elegantly with every step she took and if she hadn't been so nervous she would have been tempted to twirl, just because she knew the skirt would fan out if she did.

Glancing up she locked eyes with Troy who was stood next to his car awaiting her arrival. She shot him a small smile and saw him swallow noticeably as she walked closer.

"You look… wow…" He stammered.

"Too much?" she asked. Worry lacing her voice.

Troy shook his head.

"Not at all. You look perfect."

"I do not… but thanks."

"You do." He said firmly, successfully making a blush spread across her cheeks. "I'd give you a kiss, but we've got an audience."

Looking past him, Gabriella saw Violet's eager face pressed up against the car window.

"So I see. Maybe we should just get going. She looks like she's about to burst with excitement."

"She's been like that all day. She was so happy when I said you were coming with us. I have a feeling she'll drag you around the house showing you everything she can think of."

A small giggle escaped her, despite the growing flock of butterflies in her stomach.

"Relax, Gabriella. I know you're nervous, and that this is a big deal to you, but it really is going to be fine. If anything, I should be the worried one; Mom tends to bring out photo albums on Thanksgiving. She's documented some moments in my life that I'd rather not show anyone… sadly she does not listen to my opinions there."

She looked into his calm eyes and knew he could see the turmoil of emotion displayed in her own brown orbs.

"I'll try. It's just… it's not just a dinner Troy. It's _Thanksgiving._"

"I know, El, but I meant what I said. It doesn't have to mean more than we want it to. Circumstances around us made this happen at this particular time, but we're still in charge of the pace we move, ok?"

Reaching over he grabbed one of her hands and let his thumb stroke gently over her knuckles. The caring action and his reassuring words made some of the nervousness ebb away from her and she closed her fingers around his for a brief moment.

"Ok," she said softly.

A smile spread on his face as he let go of her hand.

"Come on. I bet Mom's already waiting by the window to make sure she spots us the moment we arrive."

"Somehow that doesn't help matters, Troy."

His only reply was a short laugh before he opened the car door for her so she could slide into the passenger seat.

No turning back now.

**AN; **So there you have it. Please let me know what you think, and I hope I'll manage to get the next chapter up sooner than I got this one up!

Caroline x


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